(Image Source: Flickr/lopnor)

BY HARUMENDHAH HELMY
 

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev took to a televised speech to defend his decision not to seek a second presidential term. Here’s RT’s summary of the event. 

ANCHOR: “Outgoing leader Dmitri Medvedev has addressed his supporters right here, in Moscow. He told them the country’s course for modernization will continue. He’s preparing to take over as the head of the ruling United Russia party for December’s parliamentary vote.” REPORTER: “In many ways it was the right time, and the right place to finally cross the Ts and dot the Is on why would a politician who’s ratings are still so high with voters, give up the country’s top job.”

In September, Medvedev announced he will back Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s presidential bid. If Putin wins, he’ll appoint Medvedev as prime minister. The speech explains more of what led to that decision. The New York Times notes Medvedev’s defensive tone.

“[Medevedev] insist[ed] that he and Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin had not decided to switch places during a fishing trip, as some commentators have suggested. In fact, he said, the decision was hardly so casual and came about as a result of a ‘sufficiently long analysis’... weighing, among other things, Mr. Putin’s higher public approval ratings.”

Meanwhile, Bloomberg’s Moscow correspondent points out Russia’s ruling political duo haven’t been able to keep their critics quiet lately.

“Ousted last month for publicly criticizing [Medvedev] … former finance minister Alexei Kudrin keeps loudly voicing his distaste for the future prime minister's budget policies. … Extremist or not, what's left of Russia's opposition remains defiant.”

One of those defiant opposition voices is independent politician Vladimir Ryzhkov. He writes in an op-ed, published earlier this week in the Moscow Times...

“The Kremlin has established a political monopoly that goes beyond the domination of United Russia.  … Russia is run by a political regime that has eliminated the constitutionally guaranteed right to political competition, freedom to participate in politics and freedom of speech. Today’s regime has managed to create a cynical imitation of a multiparty system and elections.”


United Russia has announced Putin will not need to participate in primaries to be the party’s presidential candidate.