List of presidents of the Russian Federation

Infobox Political post
post = President
body = the
Russian Federation
insignia = Standard of the President of the Russian Federation.svg!border
insigniasize = 100px
insigniacaption = Official Standard


incumbent = Dmitry Medvedev
incumbentsince = May 7 2008
style =
appointer = Direct popular vote
termlength = Four years, renewable once,
consecutively
formation = July 10 1991
inaugural = CPD of RSFSR (April 4 1991) [http://www.gorby.ru/rubrs.asp?rubr_id=176&page=5 Gorbachev's Foundation. Chronicles of Perestroika. 1991] ]
website = ru icon [http://kremlin.ru/ kremlin.ru/] en icon [http://kremlin.ru/eng/ kremlin.ru/eng/] This is a list of Presidents of the Russian Federation formed in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union. This list includes only those persons who were sworn into office as President of the Russian Federation following the ratification of the Russian Constitution, which took effect in 1993.

Yeltsin came to power with a wave of high expectations. On 12 June 1991 he was elected president of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic with 57% of the vote, becoming the first popularly elected president. [cite web|title=Transcripts of 'Insight' on CNN|publisher=CNN|date=2002-10-07|accessdate=2007-07-17|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/07/i_ins.01.html] But Yeltsin never recovered his popularity after a series of economic and political crises in Russia in the 1990s. The Yeltsin era was marked by widespread corruption, economic collapse, and enormous political and social problems. [cite web|title=Transcripts of 'Insight' on CNN|publisher=CNN|date=2002-10-07|accessdate=2007-07-17|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/07/i_ins.01.html] By the time he left office, Yeltsin had an approval rating of two percent by some estimates. [cite web|title=Transcripts of 'Insight' on CNN|publisher=CNN|date=2002-10-07|accessdate=2007-07-17|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0210/07/i_ins.01.html]

Throughout his presidential terms and into his second term as Prime Minister, Putin has enjoyed high approval ratings amongst the Russian public. During his eight years in office, the economy bounced back from crisis, seeing GDP increase six-fold (72% in PPP), [ [http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2008/01/weodata/weorept.aspx?pr.x=52&pr.y=13&sy=1992&ey=2007&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=922&s=NGDPD%2CPPPGDP&grp=0&a= GDP of Russia from 1992 to 2007] International Monetary Fund Retrieved on May 12, 2008] poverty cut more than half [http://www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=804651 Putin’s Eight Years] Kommersant Retrieved on May 4, 2008] and average monthly salaries increase from $80 to $640, or by 150% in real rates. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/09/content_7582876.htm Putin visions new development plans for Russia] China View Retrieved on May 8, 2008] At the same time, his conduct in office has been questioned by domestic dissenters, as well as foreign governments and human rights organizations, for his handling of internal conflicts in Chechnya and Dagestan, his record on internal human rights and freedoms, his relations with former Soviet Republics, and his relations with the so-called oligarchs: Russian businessmen with a high degree of power and influence within both the Russian Government and economy ("See Criticism of Vladimir Putin"). This was seen by the Kremlin as a series of anti-Russian propaganda attacks orchestrated by western opponents and exiled "oligarchs". [Sergey Morozov, "Putin's Diplomacy: Russian Judo on World Tatami". - Saint Petersburg, publishing house "Krylov", 2008. - 288 pp. ISBN 978-5-9717-0630-4. Chapter "Dracula, Rotten Meat and Dr. Evil", p. 130: "... in the Kremlin they thought that Russia has become a subject of a series of political propaganda attacks orchestrated by the West and exiled oligarchs.", p. 139, Dmitry Peskov: "Things we observe in the British media relate more to a usual human hysteria rather than to journalism... President regards this calmly, understanding at the same time that this has nothing to do with journalism and analytics."]

Medvedev was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian government on November 14, 2005. Formerly Vladimir Putin's chief of staff, he was also the Chairman of Gazprom's board of directors, a post he had held, for the second time, since 2000. On December 10, 2007, he was informally endorsed as a candidate for the forthcoming presidential elections by the largest Russian political party, United Russia, and officially endorsed on December 17, 2007. Medvedev's candidacy was supported by former President Vladimir Putin and pro-presidential parties. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7136347.stm Putin sees Medvedev as successor] BBC News] A technocrat and political appointee, Medvedev had never held elective office before 2008.

Presidents

:For Russian leaders prior to this ratification, see Leaders of the Soviet Union.

ee also

*President of Russia
*Politics of Russia
*Government of Russia

References

External links

* [http://www.cbr.ru/eng/ Central Bank of Russia]
* [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=RS Energy Statistics for Russia] - From the Energy Information Administration
* [http://www.council.gov.ru/eng/index.html Federative Council] —Official site of the parliamentary upper house
* [http://en.rian.ru/ Russian News Agency Ria Novosti]