Russian ruling party suggests Putin future role

Russia's ruling party suggested yesterday that President Vladimir Putin become its leader, a move that might allow him to retain control of the nation after stepping down from the presidency in 2008.

The president, however, made no immediate comment on a proposal reminiscent of party control in the old Soviet Union.

Putin, popular in Russia for the stability he has brought but accused in the West of blunting democracy, has repeatedly said he would not try to change the constitution to stand for a third term. But he has indicated publicly he would retain some position of influence and seek to determine his successor.

Keen to promote a "managed democracy", after the turmoil of the immediate post-Soviet years, Putin hailed the birth of the pro-government United Russia party in December 2001. The Kremlin sees it as the mainstay in a system of power where a handful of favoured parties dominate political life.

Enjoying vast official support, the party now includes 67 regional heads out of a total of 88, several ministers and over 300 members in the 450-seat lower house of parliament, the Duma.

"We would like to see that you continue being the national leader by determining the country's future with such a tool as a political party responsible for outlining national strategy," parliamentarian Martin Shakkum told Putin during the president's meeting with the United Russia Duma faction outside Moscow.

"United Russia could become such a party, being the largest, most influential and responsible political force of society," Shakkum added to what agencies called the rapturous applause of pro-Putin loyalists.

Russian agencies said Putin made no comment at all on the suggestion. It seemed likely the president, if he seeks to retain power in Russia after his term ends, would await reaction both domestically and abroad.

Russia has extensive previous experience of rule by a party leader rather than a government head. For seven decades, it was effectively the all-encompassing Communist Party rather than the government which determined the fate of the Soviet Union.

United Russia clearly has aspirations to a broad role. It recently announced its one millionth member, reaching a milestone unseen since the Communist Party of the Soviet Union folded 14 years ago.

Opinion polls show Russians are broadly happy with their government after several years of an oil-fuelled economic up-turn. That translates into strong election results for United Russia, which is closely associated with the Kremlin.

But criticism at home and abroad that Russia under Putin is becoming less democratic becomes a tense subject ahead of the Group of Eight summit to be held in St Petersburg on July 15-17.

Russian ex-prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, now a critic of the Kremlin, confirmed yesterday that he would run for president in 2008. But Russia's liberal opposition is fractious, and politologists say Kasyanov's chances are weak.