Putin not to take seat in Parliament

Photo: Putin not to take seat in Parliament

President Vladimir Putin will not take a seat in the next Russia’s Parliament and his mandate has been handed over to a United Russia member from the Far Eastern region of Magadan, Central Elections Commission secretary Nikolai Konkin said, according to the Interfax, ITAR-Tass and RIA-Novosti news agencies.

It is still unclear what Vladimir Putin is supposed to do after stepping down as the president after March 2 elections. He headed the United Russia party which won 315 of the State Duma's 450 seats in Dec. 2 national elections but is not obliged to take a seat, the AP reports.

Putin was not expected to become Parliament’s member. His purpose was to boost the party's electoral prospects – it’s not a secret that the president is much more popular that the United Russia party.

Putin this week gave his endorsement to First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in the presidential contest, virtually ensuring his victory in the March 2 vote. Medvedev in turn proposed that Putin become prime minister.

There was no response from Putin, but he didn’t deny the possibility to become premier.