Voting for Putin’s successor

Russia’s voters are expected to endorse Vladimir Putin’s choice of a successor in yesterday’s presidential election, allowing Putin to retain a measure of power in his nation, whose wealth and global voice have grown even as democratic freedoms diminished.

Dmitry Medvedev, a 42-year-old lawyer and loyal Kremlin aide, is expected to take over from Putin, whose eight years as president have left a deep imprint on the world’s largest country. Medvedev has said he would offer Putin the prime minister’s post.”I’m in a good mood.Spring is here,” Medvedev said as he cast his ballot in Moscow, where rain and wet snow sprinkled the streets.”The season has changed.”Some voters complained of pressure to cast ballots in his favor, and critics called the election a cynical stageshow.Few international observers were monitoring the vote.Two election day bomb explosions targeting a police convoy near Chechnya served as a reminder of the tensions around the once-breakaway republic, one of the challenges the next president will face.Two people were reported wounded.Some 450 000 police and troops deployed nationwide to ensure the voting proceeded calmly.If Medvedev wins, the world community will be watching closely to see how he and Putin share power.Some in the West have welcomed Medvedev’s reputation as a moderate after years of tense ties with Putin over his crackdown on domestic dissent, US plans for a missile defense and Kosovo’s independence, among other things.Analysts predict, though, that Medvedev could face opposition from Kremlin insiders hostile to the West.Though he has never held elected office, Medvedev has had an easy ride toward the presidency.Polls predict he will take a solid majority of votes, against the three other candidates: Communist Gennady Zyuganov, flamboyant ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the relatively unknown Andrei Bogdanov of the Democratic Party.”Medvedev is a wonderful, young, handsome energetic man who will continue Putin’s work and be a shining example to our children,” said Tamara Razumova, who works in a polling station in Moscow.Turnout was the only electoral uncertainty yesterday.It stood at 15 per cent nationwide by midday Moscow time, Central Elections Commission chief Vladimir Churov said.He said that was slightly higher than during parliamentary elections in December.The final turnout during that vote – which handed overwhelming victory to the ruling United Russia party – was 63 per cent.In Chechnya, riven by two wars since 1994 but now more or less under control by a Kremlin-backed administration, President Ramzan Kadyrov predicted 95 per cent to 100 per cent turnout.”I voted for a bright future, for Medvedev,” he said in Grozny.Nampa-APMedvedev has said he would offer Putin the prime minister’s post.”I’m in a good mood.Spring is here,” Medvedev said as he cast his ballot in Moscow, where rain and wet snow sprinkled the streets.”The season has changed.”Some voters complained of pressure to cast ballots in his favor, and critics called the election a cynical stageshow.Few international observers were monitoring the vote.Two election day bomb explosions targeting a police convoy near Chechnya served as a reminder of the tensions around the once-breakaway republic, one of the challenges the next president will face.Two people were reported wounded.Some 450 000 police and troops deployed nationwide to ensure the voting proceeded calmly.If Medvedev wins, the world community will be watching closely to see how he and Putin share power.Some in the West have welcomed Medvedev’s reputation as a moderate after years of tense ties with Putin over his crackdown on domestic dissent, US plans for a missile defense and Kosovo’s independence, among other things.Analysts predict, though, that Medvedev could face opposition from Kremlin insiders hostile to the West.Though he has never held elected office, Medvedev has had an easy ride toward the presidency.Polls predict he will take a solid majority of votes, against the three other candidates: Communist Gennady Zyuganov, flamboyant ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky and the relatively unknown Andrei Bogdanov of the Democratic Party.”Medvedev is a wonderful, young, handsome energetic man who will continue Putin’s work and be a shining example to our children,” said Tamara Razumova, who works in a polling station in Moscow.Turnout was the only electoral uncertainty yesterday.It stood at 15 per cent nationwide by midday Moscow time, Central Elections Commission chief Vladimir Churov said.He said that was slightly higher than during parliamentary elections in December.The final turnout during that vote – which handed overwhelming victory to the ruling United Russia party – was 63 per cent.In Chechnya, riven by two wars since 1994 but now more or less under control by a Kremlin-backed administration, President Ramzan Kadyrov predicted 95 per cent to 100 per cent turnout.”I voted for a bright future, for Medvedev,” he said in Grozny.Nampa-AP