Putin to step down, get replaced by Medvedev
Russian President Vladimir Putin could resign his post of the President of the United Russia party following his meeting with core activists of the party. It is speculated that Putin will be replaced as the party chairman by his protege and future Prime Minister, Dmitry Medvedev.
Secretary of the United Russia General Council Presidium Sergei Neverov said that the group of 40 United Russia core activists, such as members of the Supreme Council, the General Council and heads of inter-regional coordination councils would discuss, among the other things, the “internal party life”, but didn’t comment on the speculation of leadership change.
However, Medvedev will also meet with United Russia’s activists on 27 April. Some of the activists pointed out that it is in their tradition for president to be “beyond the party politics” and reminded that Putin became the party president only after he stepped down as the country's president and became the prime minister.
Some analysts speculated that, amid the new political reform which will allow for a multitude of lists to contest the next general elections, the United Russia might be divided into three factions – civic, liberal-conservative and an etatistic-patriotic.
Putin differentiated from the party already during the presidential campaign and acted as a candidate of the All-Russia People's Front he created as a surrogate for at that time unpopular United Russia. Another option speculated about was that the All-Russia People's Front might become a wider movement with Putin at its helm, and whose part United Russia would become, together with some NGOs and movements, such as Nashi.
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