Anna Kolchak: What a shocker!

The first session of the Moscow City Duma of the new convocation passed the decree “About electing the chairman of the Moscow City Duma” today. The former vice-speaker of the Federation Council, Vladimir Platonov, was elected chairman of the Duma for the 13th time. According to the regulations, Platonov will hold the position for two years. After his term is over, elections for the post of Moscow mayor will be held. If nothing surprising happens, and Yury Luzhkov remains the mayor of Moscow, then Platonov may be re-elected for the 14th time. If Valery Shantsev, Moscow’s vice-mayor, becomes the new mayor of the Russian capital, then the sympathies of the Moscow City Administration are likely to move over to deputy Bocharov. It also possible that a stranger from St.Petersburg could become the new mayor.