Mr. Putin picks right man for successor on his way to regency
(From The Japan Times Dec. 13 issue)

プーチン露大統領、後継者を指名

Russian President Vladimir Putin has announced his support for Dmitri Medvedev, a first deputy prime minister, as a candidate in the March 2 presidential election, almost guaranteeing Mr. Medvedev a victory. And Mr. Medvedev announced that, if elected as president, he will appoint Mr. Putin as prime minister.

His decision is clever and logical. Mr. Medvedev has been one of his most trusted and loyal aides. They worked together for 17 years.

For Mr. Putin, 55, it will be easy to control Mr. Medvedev, 42. Reports say if Mr. Putin seeks to return as president before the next president's first term is over, Mr. Medvedev is likely to comply with his wishes. Mr. Medvedev, who chairs Gazprom, Russia's natural gas monopoly, is regarded as liberal and pro-market. This may help attract Western investment to Russia and help smooth Russia's relations with Western-bloc countries.

Mr. Medvedev is an asset for Mr. Putin. By placing him as president, Mr. Putin can hope to neutralize people with KGB and other security agency connections who are engaged in a power struggle that carries the danger of undermining the government.

Mr. Putin brought stabilization and relative prosperity to Russia. But Mr. Medvedev will have to tackle serious problems plaguing Russian society such as rampant corruption and widening economic gaps. A prediction that Russia's population will shrink by one-third by 2050 is symbolic. He also must overcome Russia's antidemocratic and antiforeign tendencies.

プーチン露大統領は、来年3月2日に行われる大統領選の候補者としてメドベージェフ第1副首相を指名、メドベージェフ氏の当選が確実となった。当選後、メドベージェフ氏はプーチン氏を首相に任命する予定だ。

プーチン氏はメドベージェフ次期大統領の1期目が終わる前に大統領に復帰する意向といわれ、メドベージェフ氏はそれに従うだろう。同氏は国営ガス企業ガスプロムの会長で、リベラルな市場主義者として知られる。

プーチン氏は、ロシアに安定と経済繁栄をもたらしたが、メドベージェフ氏は腐敗の横行、広がる経済格差などの問題に対処せねばならない。また、ロシアの人口は2050年までに3分の1減少するという、国の将来を象徴するような予想がある。メドベージェフ氏はさらに、ロシアの反民主的な傾向を改めねばならない。