The developing spat between Prime Minister Putin and President Medvedev is a sad reminder of Putin's transparent hunger for power. Putin hinted last Friday that he may run for President again in 2012, sparking widespread speculation about a tit-for-tat between the two, with Medvedev himself retaliating yesterday and claiming that he will rule nothing out in terms of his own candidacy for re-election.
In fact, the real surprise is not that Putin has his eyes on the top job again, everyone knew that he was standing aside in name only and has never actually let go of the reigns. Rather, the surprise is that Medvedev, purportedly Putin's safe "rubber stamp man" who would not build too big a profile for himself and be totally controllable, seems to have positioned himself increasingly in opposition to the Prime Minister in recent months.
He has spoken more forthrightly about the escalating violence in the North Caucasus and pledged his commitment to bringing the perpetrators of recent assassinations (of human rights campaigner Natalya Estemirova, the head of children's charity Save the Generation and her husband) to justice, whereas in the past Putin has never managed to utter anything nearly as sincere. Medvedev also insinuated last week that there had been serious mistakes made by his predecessor; and Medvedev's aides are now saying Putin risks becoming a "decaying Soviet-style leader like Brezhnev" if he runs again.
Let's hope that the cult of personality Putin has carefully crafted for himself over the past decade through his tight control over the Russian media may finally be starting to crack. If so, the Russian people - and those forgotten Russian citizens in the North Caucasus who have been oppressed in the name of this cult - may have a greater chance at democratic choice.
Ivar Amundsen,
Director, Chechnya Peace Forum |
