Dmitry Medvedev, named by Russian President Vladimir Putin as his preferred successor, said on Tuesday he wanted Putin to become prime minister under him, mapping out a route for the outgoing leader to retain influence.
But Putin did not say if he would take his long-time ally up on the job offer and some analysts said they believed the powerful Russian leader had still not finally decided what role he will take when he steps down next year.
Medvedev, a 42-year-old first deputy prime minister and chairman of gas giant Gazprom is overwhelming favourite to win a March 2 presidential election after Putin this week endorsed him as his successor. "Expressing my readiness to stand as a candidate in the presidential election, I ask him (Putin) to agree to head the government of Russia after the election of the new president," Medvedev said in a brief televised address.
Medvedev is one of Putin's most loyal lieutenants who has no political powerbase of his own. Choosing him as the Kremlin's candidate seemed calculated to allow Putin to continue to mould policy after he steps down. Putin is due to step down next year in line with a ban on heads of state serving three consecutive terms.
He served briefly as prime minister in 1999 before taking over the presidency from Boris Yeltsin. In his television address, Medvedev said his guiding principle would be to continue Putin's policies. Echoing his mentor, he was assertive about Russia's place in the world.
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