Dmitry Medvedev Enjoys 73% Support Among Voters in Russian Presidential Election, Vows to Stick to Putin's Policy

Medvedev vows to stick to Putin's policy
www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-27 23:32:17
MOSCOW, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) --

Russia's presidential hopeful Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday that he will stick to incumbent President Vladimir Putin's set policies and move the country forward.
    Medvedev made the remarks in Volga city Nizhny Novgorod in his last bid to draw votes ahead of the March 2 vote.
    "We must keep the flag flying: we have a lot of unresolved problems, the country must move ahead," the first deputy prime minister told local media.
    "For this we need political stability, for this we must every day improve the life of people, develop the economy, safely protect Russia's sovereignty and protect the freedom of our citizens," said Medvedev who was backed by the ruling United Russia party and endorsed by Putin himself.
    The former law professor and close ally of Putin called on voters to support him.
    "March 2 is the day of a presidential election in Russia ... I count on your support so that we keep working together," the Itar-Tass news agency quoted him as saying.
    "We know how to lead the country to success. We know how to do it. And I am confident it will be like that," he said.
Editor: Yan Liang

Poll shows Medvedev enjoys 73% support in Russian presidential vote
www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-22 00:56:54
    MOSCOW, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Russia's final pre-election opinion poll showed on Thursday that Kremlin front-runner Dmitry Medvedev has the support of 72.9 percent of voters in the upcoming presidential election.
    The result was revealed by the state-run VTsIOM pollster just over a week left before the March 2 presidential elections.
    "This is about the number President Vladimir Putin received in 2004 (71 percent)," RIA news agency reported, citing VTsIOM director general, Valery Fyodorov.
    Currently a first deputy prime minister, Medvedev was publicly supported by Putin as his successor in mid-December, and was later nominated by the ruling United Russia party as a presidential candidate.
    Given Putin's popularity, his endorsement of the first deputy premier is likely to guarantee Medvedev the presidency. Putin has also said that he will accept the post of prime minister if Medvedev becomes president.
    The pollster also predicted Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov would come second with 15 percent of the vote, and Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky third with 10.9 percent.
    The poll, conducted on Feb. 16-17, also estimated the voter turnout on March 2 elections at around 69.7 percent.
    The poll solicited opinions of 1,600 respondents in 46 regions across the country, with an error margin not exceeding 3.4 percent.
Editor: Mu Xuequan

Backgrounder: Dmitry Medvedev
www.chinaview.cn 2008-02-15 11:06:34
BEIJING, Feb. 15 (Xinhuanet) --

Dmitry Medvedev, First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, was born Sep. 14, 1965, in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg).
    1987 -- graduated from Leningrad State University law faculty; in 1990 received a Ph.D. in law, also from Leningrad State University, with a specialization in private law.
    1990-1999 -- assistant professor at Leningrad State University.
    1990-1995 -- served as adviser to the Chairman of the Leningrad City Council and expert consultant to the St. Petersburg Mayor's Committee for External Relations, which was headed by Vladimir Putin.
    Nov. 9, 1999 - January 2000 -- deputy chief of staff of the Government of the Russian Federation.
    Jan. 5, 2000 - June 2000 -- deputy head of the Presidential Administration.
    January - March 2000 -- head of Putin's presidential election campaign headquarters.
    June 4, 2000 - October 2003 -- first deputy head the Presidential Administration.
    Oct. 30, 2003 -- appointed by Putin to be head of the Presidential Administration.
    July 2002 -- reappointed chairman of the board of directors of Gazprom.
    Nov. 2005 -- appointed First Deputy Prime Minister and given the task of overseeing the Council on National Projects.
　  Dec. 2007 -- officially nominated as candidate for next March's presidential election by Russia's ruling party, the United Russia.
    Medvedev, who has been publicly endorsed as his handpicked successor by incumbent President Vladimir Putin, enjoys high popularity and is the clear front-runner in the election campaign.
    (Agencies)

Editor: Han Lin

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