Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev was confirmed as the new leader of the country's ruling party United Russia on Saturday. Medvedev takes over from Vlamimir Putin vowing to make the party "more understandable to the people".
It gives a whole new meaning to the expression "job sharing". Russian president Vladimir Putin has taken office, a role he held until 2008. After two terms, the country's constitution obliged him to step down and Dmitry Medvedev was elected in his place. But now, Putin has taken back the top job, while Medvedev has taken Putin's interim role of Prime Minister. Muscovites have protested at this perceived attempt to hold on to power forever and the lack of a strong opposition to fight back.
His re-election was a given, but it is still a seminal moment for a Vladimir Putin who after 12 years in the Kremlin faces unprecedented protests. François Picard’s panel argues over whether he’ll choose reform or repression.
With anti-Putin protests galvanising civil society in Russia, Douglas Herbert speaks to Thierry de Montbrial, founder of the French Institute of International relations, about the Russian presidential election. Thierry de Montbrial has spent almost 35 years criss-crossing Russia. Along the way, he has witnessed major political, economic and social events that have shaken the country to the core.
The President of Russia is Vladimir Vladamirovich Putin. It is true that today he is technically the prime minister, and that his re-election to the Kremlin is due on March 4th, but in the hearts and minds of Russians he already has the title. However, for the first time, Putin faces growing opposition. Eve Irvine and James André went to find out just how widespread that opposition is.
They say it’s now a multipolar world but East v West comparisons creep often into conversation when you discuss Moscow’s foreign policy. François Picard’s panel looks at Russia’s insistence on arming Syria and its more nuanced view of Iran.
They say it’s now a multipolar world but East vs West comparisons creep often into conversation when you discuss Moscow’s foreign policy. François Picard’s panel looks at Russia’s insistence on arming Syria and its more nuanced view of Iran.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev is set to meet with leaders of the country’s burgeoning opposition movement on Monday for the first time since anti-government protests broke out in December.
President Dmitry Medvedev has appointed Vladislav Surkov, the little-seen Kremlin official credited with designing Russia's tightly-controlled political system, as deputy prime minister in charge of a modernisation drive.
It's 20 years to the day since the Soviet Union was officially dissolved. But to mark the anniversary there were neither commemorations nor speeches. The mood in Russia is one of defiance. Never since Vladimir Putin came to power 12 years ago, has he faced such strong opposition. On Saturday the protest movement gathered tens of thousands of people in Moscow. Is this the beginning of a new era, in which Vladimir Putin no longer reigns supreme?
