Thread: Will Putin go for a third term

Under the current Russian constitution, Putin cannot run for a third term in 2008 (you can't do 3 in a row). But at the last election he received a sufficient majority to change the consitution, but as of yet hasn't expressed any intention of doing so. So do they think he is going to try and change it?

I understand the Belarussian President was trying to do the same or something?

Originally Posted by TATY

I understand the Belarussian President was trying to do the same or something?

He was not just trying, he did it.

Yeh, I looked him up on the net. Apparently the vote on whether he could serve a third term was dodgey. The exits polls sais 49% said he could, but the official result was 79%.

I think Putin will be smart enough to not change the rules about term limits. He is getting a lot of pressure from the West about it already, and he has actually expressed before that he does not really have a desire for another term. I think Putin will probably just choose a sucessor and wait for people to vote for whomever he tells them to.

I loved Putin's responce to Bush; how Bush should mind his own business and not critisize Russia's democracy, and Russia could be more democratic than America because in Russia the people actually pick their leaders (America has an electoral college who elect the president, not the populous. A clear example of this was in 2000 when the majority of America voted for Gore yet Bush was voted in by the electoral college).

I think there 's noone more suitable than Putin to manage Russia now. He's very talent....You see since Putin becomes President, Russia develops incessantly. :P I really admire him.....

Yes, I would agree that he is smart and talented. That may be good for Russia at present, but I think the worry is that he might put too much power into the executive branch (does that term work for Russia?). When he leaves, his successor might not be as strong as him, and the country will be wishing that so much power hadn't been placed in the hands of the president.

I think Putin can get away with monopolising government and such because he is doing a good job.

Originally Posted by TATY

I think Putin can get away with monopolising government and such because he is doing a good job.

Well yes, he can get away with it. Just my thought was that the power will remain with the position of President for those who follow Putin. You had just better hope that Russians like them as much as they do Putin.

"Выбери Путина два раза подряд и третий раз получишь его бесплатно".

Originally Posted by Propp

"Выбери Путина два раза подряд и третий раз получишь его бесплатно".

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Did anyone here already comment on his words about the fall of the Soviet Union being the "greatest geopolitical tragedy in the history of the world" or something like that? Do you believe he was being sincere, or just playing the populist game in a run-up to the memorial of the Great Patriotic War?

Originally Posted by mike

Did anyone here already comment on his words about the fall of the Soviet Union being the "greatest geopolitical tragedy in the history of the world" or something like that? Do you believe he was being sincere, or just playing the populist game in a run-up to the memorial of the Great Patriotic War?

Hmmm
I remember he said it was a huge national tragedy.