By Alexis Giannoulis
(RIEAS Research Associate & Independent Analyst)
Copyright: www.rieas.gr
In 24 September 2011 the world witnessed the end of the debate about who will be running for (and most certainly become) the next Russian president at the elections of 2012. The plan was revealed on the 24th of September at the annual conference of United Russia party and this plan shocked a good portion of international and Russian political analysts and experts. However and rather astonishingly, a large amount of respected international media have welcomed this arrangement as an orderly ‘swap’ of the two most important posts in Russian politics, the one of the president and the one of the prime minister (PM). For example, a FT article of September 22 argued that the uncertainty surrounding the 2012 elections has “left Russia paralysed” . Washington had also claimed that whoever becomes the next Russian President the “reset” of US-Russian relations would continue without, in essence officially commenting on the swap.... Read more