Putin to Seek Presidency in 2012

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will seek the president's job in next year's elections.

The current president, Dmitry Medvedev, Saturday backed his predecessor's bid, ending months of speculation about whether he or Putin would run.Putin left the president's office in 2008 because of term limits and became Medvedev's prime minister.Putin's United Russia Party has approved his proposal that the two should switch jobs, with Medvedev becoming prime minister if Putin wins the 2012 elections, the Associated Press reported. The election is scheduled for March 4.If Putin is successful -- which is highly likely given his popularity -- he could conceivably rule Russia until 2024. That's because in 2012, the country's presidential terms will be extended from four years to six. The constitution allows a president to serve two consecutive terms.>To order reprints of this article, click here: Reprints