Op-Ed: Vladimir Putin's End Game Finally Revealed?

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However, as per usual in Russian politics, it will be a constitutional re-write with a twist.

Earlier today, Russia's President Vladimir Putin provided a brief glimpse at his own little roadmap for Russia's future when he announced that maybe, just maybe, he would become the country's next Prime Minister. Oh, and by the way, at the same time, maybe, just maybe he would strengthen the powers of the Prime Minister's office. As a result, the powers in the office of the President would be weakened, paving the way for the new Prime Minister Putin to remain "de facto leader" of Russia.

For him to 'maybe' become the next Prime Minister, two things would have to happen. First, the political party United Russia would have to overwhelmingly win the upcoming parliamentary elections and second, Russians would have to elect a president who is a "decent, competent, effective, modern person with whom it would be possible to work in tandem" with Mr. Putin.

Right now, Putin's personal popularity approval rating is running about 70 percent. So it was a jubilant, roaring crowd party supporters who heard him say: "I gratefully accept your proposal to head the United Russia list" in December 2007's election. Under Russia's system of proportional representation, Mr. Putin does not have to run for office or even belong to United Russia, he only has to be number one on their list.

United Russia is the main political party in Russia and they control about 50 percent of Russia's 450-seat parliament, called the Duma. It is believed that today's endorsement from Putin has the potential to push that number of seats up into the two thirds majority realm. That would give giving United Russia not only a parliamentary majority but a constitutional majority.

Vladimir V. Putin, President of Russia. - File photo image:34005:0::0

What this means is that a United Russia-led government would be able to change the constitution enabling the Prime Minister's office, where Putin would be firmly ensconced, to flex its muscles. Need a visual? ===>

What better way for Mr. Putin to keep his word by stepping down from the Presidency early in 2008 when his second term expires, by not becoming a lame duck President between now and then, and in the end, still keep all the power for himself?

One of Putin's most vocal critics is former chess champion Garry Kasparov. AP quoted him today as saying: "In fact, Putin has done nothing more than decide to use United Russia as the main mechanism for retaining power."