Russian Presidential "Election" - March 2, 2008

[Middle-aged Europe]

Second Round:

Dmitry Medvedev: 51%
Sergei Ivanov: 49%

So, the next President of Russia will either be Putin's current deputy prime minister... or Putin's current deputy prime minister (the other one).

[Middle-aged Europe]

- Breaking News -

Putin and United Russia have endorsed Dmitry Medvedev for president.

Currently, Medvedev is one of Russia's deputy prime ministers as well as chairman of the board for Gazprom. He's also Putin's former chief of staff.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7136347.stm

[Middle-aged Europe]

UPDATE: In addition to United Russia's support, Medvedev has also recevied the endorsements of Fair Russia, Civilian Power and the Agrarian Party.

I see another election coming where the Kremlin's candidate wins in the first round...

[Middle-aged Europe]

If Dmitry Medvedev isn't elected President of Russia, would Putin be able to control Sergei Ivanov? Because we all know, no matter who is "elected" President of Russia in March, that Iron Vlad (as FOX News call him) will still be President.

So far Ivanov isn't running... and at this point it seems unlikely that he will. Now that Medvedev has receieved the endorsements of Putin and most political parties allied with the Kremlin it seems that no further candidacies are intended, at least from the side of the "Putin camp".

[Middle-aged Europe]

Surely Medvedev has already won; the election hinging on but one man's vote?
Though I presume Mr. Putin has a few months within which he may change his mind...

Um, I dunno, but I think we may have reached the point of no return here... United Russia and Fair Russia won't revoke their official endorsements for no apparent reason now and nobody will become president without their support.

[Middle-aged Europe]

To quote Medvedev's profile from the Gazprom website:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.gazprom.ru/eng/articles/article8822.shtml

[Middle-aged Europe]

What a surprise: Medvedev has announced that he wants Putin as prime minister.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7137993.stm

[Middle-aged Europe]

Oh, what an unpredictable surprise.

Proposed Medvedev campaign slogan: "Putin for PM 2008!"

[Middle-aged Europe]

Filing deadline for the presidential election was on December 16. The following candidates were officially registered by the Electoral Commission:


Andrei Bogdanov, leader of the Democratic Party of Russia

Mikhail Kasyanov, former prime minister (2000-04) and leader of the People's Democratic Union

Dmitry Medvedev, current deputy prime minister and presidential candidate of United Russia (also supported by Fair Russia, the Agrarian Party of Russia and Civilian Power)

Boris Nemtsov, former deputy prime minister (1997-98) and presidential candidate of the Union of Right Forces

Vladimir Zhirinovsky, deputy speaker of the State Duma as well as leader and former presidential candidate (1991, 1996, 2000) of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia

Gennady Zyuganov, leader and former presidential candidate (1996 & 2000) of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation



Medvedev is Putin's candidate, Zyuganov a communist and Zhirinovsky an ultra-nationalist. Bogdanov, Kasyanov and Nemtsov are more or less "liberal" and pro-Western candidates.

Maybe with the exception of Zhirinovsky (and of course Medvedev) all candidates stand in opposition to the Kremlin.

[Middle-aged Europe]

UPDATE:

I read somewhere that candidates whose parties do not have seats in the Duma are required to turn in two million (!) signatures of supporters until some date in January.

This new regulation applies to Bogdanov, Kasyanov and Nemtsov. So it's still possible that any of those three candidate could be stricken off the ballot in the end. However, at this point no further candidates can be added to the six I have mentioned.

So, Medvedev, Zhirinovsky and Zyuganov will be on the ballot under all circumstances and Bogdanov, Kasyanov as well as Nemtsov might be on the ballot.

[Middle-aged Europe]

So there might just be a Putinist, a fascist and a communist on the ballot?  That's great.  (Sarcasm)

Well, if two of the three are eliminated this might actually be a good thing in a way. At least the "liberal/pro-Western" wouldn't be split between three candidates.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Boris Nemtsov has dropped out of the race, urging the democratic opposition to unite behind a single candidate. He also sort of endorsed Kasyanov, I think.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/26/europe/EU-GEN-Russia-Presidential-Election.php


This leaves a total of five candidates for the presidential election.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Second Round:

Dmitry Medvedev: 51%
Sergei Ivanov: 49%

So, the next President of Russia will either be Putin's current deputy prime minister... or Putin's current deputy prime minister (the other one).

You do need real complex democratic process don't you?

Well, "fortunately" Putin has narrowed it down to only one of his deputy prime ministers...

[Middle-aged Europe]

Second Round:

Dmitry Medvedev: 51%
Sergei Ivanov: 49%

So, the next President of Russia will either be Putin's current deputy prime minister... or Putin's current deputy prime minister (the other one).

You do need real complex democratic process don't you?

Democratic? Lol.

Bush junior, Clinton wife?
Democracy exists? Can you tell me where please.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two_wrongs_make_a_right

[Middle-aged Europe]

Development of the poll results:




Will Medvedev break 90% on March 2?

[Middle-aged Europe]

UPDATE:

Mikhail Kasyanov got barred from participating in the election, because too many of the signatures he had handed in were supposedly forged... says the electoral commission.

This leaves us with four candidates: Medvedev, Zyuganov, Zhirinovsky, and Bogdanov.


I read in DER SPIEGEL this week that Andrei Bogdanov, despite his liberal/pro-Western appearance, is actually financed and controlled by the Kremlin, serving as a pseudo-opposition.

Also, Communist Gennady Zyuganov, the only real remaining opposition candidate, is apparently considering dropping out of the race, arguing that it won't be a fair election anyway.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Zyuganov surge!!

[Middle-aged Europe]

Will Medvedev break 100% in Chechnya?