Putin Will Run for Parliament, Could Be PM

Vladimir Putin will lead the United Russia ticket in December’s parliamentary elections—and could very well be the country's next PM. Term limits prevent the president from running for a third term in March, and his newest plan, revealed today, confirms a long-suspected desire to hold tight to the country’s reins, the AP reports.

Putin recently surprised many observers by naming as his probable successor a little-known, relatively powerless bureaucrat. A potential Putin prime ministership helps explain that decision—Viktor Zubkov could cede significant power to the KGB veteran. Putin cautioned that United Russia must win before details can be ironed out, but he said it's “entirely realistic” he'd assume the top legislative spot. (More Vladimir Putin stories.)