Can Medvedev Fire Putin?

[Martian2]

Medvedev is the current President of Russia and he sets the policy goals.

Putin is the current Prime Minister of Russia and former two-term Russian President and he oversees the daily operation of the Russian government.

Their functions are different and akin to the chairman of the board and CEO positions in an American company.

Many people want to know: who is more powerful? This is a very sensitive subject.

Technically, the position of the President of Russia is more powerful. The President can fire the Prime Minister for inadequate performance. See Washingtonpost.com: Citing Economy, Yeltsin Fires Premier

However, Putin is not your average Prime Minister. Putin is the former two-term Russian President and he is very popular among the Russian people for rescuing their economy from the chaos of the Yeltsin years. While he was President, Putin embarked on a very popular policy of wresting control of Russian state assets back from the oligarchs. See The Real Reason Why Putin Arrested Yukos Oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky: An eXile Classic - By Mark Ames - The eXiled In fact, Prime Minister Putin continues his popular attacks on the oligarchs. See BBC NEWS | Business | Putin publicly humiliates oligarch

Putin is an incredibly powerful politician because, as a former KGB agent, he has the backing of the KGB/FSB. See How Putin and his ex-KGB pals took over Russia's economy. - Sep. 9, 2008 In contrast to Putin's institutional FSB support, Medvedev has no natural institution (i.e. societal group) of support.

The bottom line is that the President of Russia can dismiss the Prime Minister. But when the Prime Minister is Putin, I wouldn't try it.

 

[Martian2]

Watch Putin put the screws to billionaire oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Public theater at its best and a great way to boost Putin's popularity. This happened a few months ago in June 2009.

I don't live in Russia. However, after watching the video, I'm ready to vote for him.

BBC NEWS | Business | Putin publicly humiliates oligarch

It isn't just oligarchs that are scared to death of Putin. Here, look at the reaction of Georgian President Michael Saakashvili during the Georgian-Russian war.

 

[aanshu001]

the answer in no.

 

[K^se]

Putin still runs the Kremlin, he left the Presidency due to the fact the international community concerns of democracy not taking shape in Russia, as well as the outcry in the nation, So he just appointed one of his own men..Vladmir Putin has alot of influence in Russian, he was the head of the KGB in the late 80's-90's..He took the Prime Minister Position so he would still have a oversee of foreign affairs..

-The Final Say in the Kremlin is Putin, and the higher ups of the Russian Organized Crime.. I know this because I have family in Russia..

 

[Martian2]

The point in discussing the relationship between Medvedev and Putin is that the relationship is very complex and delicate.

It is true that Medvedev could not have become President of Russia without Putin's support. However, now that he is Russian President, Medvedev wants to be the big boss. But there is a giant obstacle in his way and that is Putin.

Medvedev is more liberal and he wants to create an independent judiciary. Putin doesn't like that. Putin likes a judiciary that obeys him and the United Russia party. Medvedev wants to move the economy away from oil and gas. Putin doesn't like that either. Putin's friends control and operate the oil and gas companies. Putin wants to continue government support (i.e. subsidies and tax breaks) of big oil and gas companies.

To truly achieve his vision for Russia, Medvedev has to remove Putin. Otherwise, except for some minor cosmetic changes, Russian society and economy will remain mostly unchanged.

The important question is whether Medvedev, as the highest-ranked executive officer in the Russian government dares to exercise his constitutional power and dismiss Prime Minister Putin.

I believe there are many reasons that Medvedev would have to be crazy to try and remove Putin.

Reason #1: Putin is more popular than Medvedev among the Russian people.

Putin, Medvedev Enjoy Boost in Popularity | News | The Moscow Times

"Putin's approval rating climbed 3 percentage points to 68 percent, its highest level in five weeks in a poll of 2,000 people taken on Saturday and Sunday. Medvedev's rating climbed four points to 58 percent, its highest level in a month.

The poll came two days after Putin vowed to ruthlessly fight Islamist rebels in a four-hour televised call-in show with the Russian people. He also demanded tough measures be taken against those responsible for the Nevsky Express train bombing that killed 26 on Nov. 27."

Reason #2: Putin is the more experienced politician. He had been president for 8 years and it shows. Notice Putin's tough-sounding vow to "ruthlessly fight Islamist rebels" and his "four-hour televised" conversation to maintain his connection with the Russian people. Putin's higher approval rating, compared to Medvedev, is not an accident.

Reason #3: Putin has the support of the FSB. He is one of them. As a former KGB agent, Putin had spent most of his life being part of the KGB/FSB.

Reason #4: Putin's cronies, the Siloviki, control most of the important positions in government and industry.

Reason #5: Putin has the support of the United Russia party. Medvedev knows that United Russia supports Putin, instead of him. Acting on this frustration, Medvedev criticized United Russia recently.

Medvedev vs. Putin? Mystery returns to the Kremlin. / The Christian Science Monitor - CSMonitor.com

"A lawyer by training, he's come out swinging for rule of law, and he lectured United Russia – widely criticized for fraudulent regional elections in October – that it must learn to win elections honestly."

In a showdown, if Medvedev tries to remove Putin, I believe most of the Russian people, police, and soldiers will choose Putin over Medvedev because of the five important reasons that were listed. In a street fight between a lawyer and a former KGB strongman, who would you pick to win?

 

[Martian2]

The West prefers a compliant former lawyer that they can "manage," instead of a strong Tsar that stands up for Russian interests first and foremost. The West is angry that Putin canceled oil and gas concessions (i.e. Exxon and Shell in Sakhalin) and joint-ventures (i.e. TNK-BP) with foreign oil companies by appropriating and nationalizing those important raw natural resources.

I believe the Communists are supporting Medvedev in the hopes of toppling Tsar Putin. They think it's easier to regain power and influence with Medvedev in charge. Both the West and Communists believe that Medvedev is a person that can be reasoned with. As we have seen in the video with oligarch Deripaska, Putin rules with an iron fist. I like the part where he says: "and don't forget to give me back my pen." The message is that you can't even take a pen from the Tsar.

A quick comment about Kasparov. The grandmaster is out of his depth. Politics is not a level game of chess where both sides have roughly equal pieces and the players have to follow rules. Politics is a hard and dirty business where you win however that you can. The experienced politicians fight dirty. They'll stuff ballot boxes or buy votes to win. I'm afraid the famous and likable grandmaster has no chance in Russian politics.

In conclusion, I now believe that the most important reason that the West dislikes Putin is not because he's an authoritarian former KGB agent. The West hates Putin because he has regained Russian control of critical oil and gas assets and taken them out of Western hands. I can see that "naughty dictator Putin" is indeed the best man for Russia. If reasonable and pliant Medvedev was in full control, the West would most likely regain a good measure of influence over Russian energy resources.

 

[Thomas]

The West prefers a compliant former lawyer that they can "manage," instead of a strong Tsar that stands up for Russian interests first and foremost. The West is angry that Putin canceled oil and gas concessions (i.e. Exxon and Shell in Sakhalin) and joint-ventures (i.e. TNK-BP) with foreign oil companies by appropriating and nationalizing those important raw natural resources.

I believe the Communists are supporting Medvedev in the hopes of toppling Tsar Putin. They think it's easier to regain power and influence with Medvedev in charge. Both the West and Communists believe that Medvedev is a person that can be reasoned with. As we have seen in the video with oligarch Deripaska, Putin rules with an iron fist. I like the part where he says: "and don't forget to give me back my pen." The message is that you can't even take a pen from the Tsar.

A quick comment about Kasparov. The grandmaster is out of his depth. Politics is not a level game of chess where both sides have roughly equal pieces and the players have to follow rules. Politics is a hard and dirty business where you win however that you can. The experienced politicians fight dirty. They'll stuff ballot boxes or buy votes to win. I'm afraid the famous and likable grandmaster has no chance in Russian politics.

In conclusion, I now believe that the most important reason that the West dislikes Putin is not because he's an authoritarian former KGB agent. The West hates Putin because he has regained Russian control of critical oil and gas assets and taken them out of Western hands. I can see that "naughty dictator Putin" is indeed the best man for Russia. If reasonable and pliant Medvedev was in full control, the West would most likely regain a good measure of influence over Russian energy resources.

Russians always have liked strong authoritarians as their leaders. Which is fine I guess since they get to vote them into office.

 

[Martian2]

Russians always have liked strong authoritarians as their leaders. Which is fine I guess since they get to vote them into office.

I used to think that Russians should adopt American-style democracy and capitalism. However, after watching the chaos of the Yeltsin years during the 1990s, I now believe that each country is different and has to follow its own path. After the Russians elected Yeltsin to pursue unbridled capitalism, their economy and country declined dramatically.

Online NewsHour: Analysis | Yeltsin Left Complex Legacy | April 23, 2007 | PBS

"A journalist and a professor discuss Yeltsin's legacy. ... who presided over a drop in the GDP of about 40 percent...."

Perhaps the Russians know what's best for their country. It could be that a strongman is preferable to uncontrolled oligarchs, during the Yeltsin era, that loot the country and precipitated a 40 percent drop in GDP.

 

[Martian2]

I think I just realized something really important. Has anyone noticed that Medvedev has NEVER criticized Putin by name in a speech, interview, or in writing? I don't think that I've even heard of a Medvedev spokesperson criticize Putin directly. If what I say is correct, it shows that Putin is the dominant partner.

 

[TexasJohn]

Putin and Medvedev went into a restaurant for lunch. The waiter asks him what he would like.

"Steak", replies Putin. The waiter asks "and for the vegetable?".

"He will have the same", replies Putin nodding at Medvedev.

He can fire Putin like Zardari can fire Kayani!!