Can Medvedev Be a Strong Leader?

As Russia’s new President, Dmitry Medvedev faces challenges presented by either following the course set by Vladimir Putin or creating his own policies and priorities.

On May 7, 2008, Dmitry Medvedev became the third President of the Russian Federation. Immediately after the inauguration, he nominated former President Vladimir Putin to become his Prime Minister.

So far, everything seems to be going as planned - that is, planned by Putin. For the past year, it appears that Putin has taken steps to insure he retains power after completing his second term as President. From changing laws to hand-picking a successor, Putin has made many people believe he has scripted the country’s path for the next four years until he can legally run for a third term as President.

Though Medvedev has been a close confidant for many years, Putin’s endorsement surprised many experts. Medvedev is more businessman than politician, and it is not clear if he has the skills to be President.

Medvedev was not part of the campaign picture until he received Putin’s endorsement. His popularity immediately skyrocketed, allowing Medvedev to win the election with almost 70% of the vote. This level of support has a strong basis in Putin’s popularity and the public’s desire to honor his wishes.

The only foreseeable problem between these men is Medvedev’s desire to honor the rule of law and establish civil and economic freedoms. These policies are opposite to the Soviet-style authoritarian tactics Putin occasionally employed.

Another question is whether Medvedev has the courage to dismiss Putin if he fails to deal with several existing problems. Putin had no problem firing Prime Ministers for their failures, but can Medvedev do this to his mentor? Medvedev appears to be loyal to a fault, and seems more likely to follow Putin’s script (if one really exists) than to challenge his friend and former boss.