He assumed office with pledges of cautious reforms, but as his term approaches its midpoint, critics argue that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's true intentions may be to serve as a temporary seat-warmer for Vladimir Putin's return to power. Despite nearly two years in office, experts note little progress in Medvedev's promises to open up Russia's tightly controlled political system, modernize its economy reliant on oil, combat corruption, and establish the rule of law. Opposition leaders labeled the recent local elections in October as the most corrupt in Russia's history. NGOs and business leaders claim that corruption remains pervasive, if not worsened. Regional officials with close ties to the Kremlin, accused of misconduct, have been reappointed to their positions. Every day, there are reports of police and court power being abused. According to Vladimir Ryzhkov, who was the last independent deputy in the Russian parliament until he was no longer allowed to run in 2007, Medvedev has not shown a genuine desire to reform. While he has made some small changes to give the appearance of reform, there have not been any significant reforms. When asked to list Medvedev's accomplishments since his election in March 2008, the Kremlin stated that they were preparing detailed information for the press to mark his two years in office in May. Medvedev's spokesperson, Natalya Timakova, mentioned that the president plans to focus on political system reforms, improving the investment climate, addressing issues in the North Caucasus, and reaching a nuclear arms agreement with Washington this year. According to an analysis by the Interfax news agency, state-run media has attempted to enhance the president's reputation, with more references to Medvedev than Putin in Russian media last year. However, pollsters argue that Putin's popularity among ordinary people has increased due to economic growth and stability during his presidency from 2000 to 2008. This popularity has continued during Putin's current role as prime minister. Russia's elite also holds Putin in higher regard, as evidenced by Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov's praise of Putin as a "very strong leader of world stature" in a recent Reuters interview. He did not mention Medvedev. Western powers had hoped that Medvedev would be more flexible than Putin, but those hopes were dashed when Medvedev led Russia into a conflict with Georgia in 2008. Despite promises of entering the World Trade Organisation, signing a nuclear arms reduction pact with the US, and imposing tough sanctions on Iran, Moscow has failed to deliver on all accounts. Privately, officials admit that Putin, not Medvedev, has the final say, revealing the true power dynamics of Russia's ruling "tandem". Officials at the Kremlin and the White House emphasize that the "tandem" between Putin and Medvedev is a strong and productive partnership where both leaders respect each other's areas of expertise. An example of this was seen when Medvedev led a discussion on political reforms in Russia, but Putin ultimately had the final say, cautioning that any changes must be approached carefully to prevent instability in the political system. According to a senior diplomat, Putin's message was unequivocal: there will be no significant political changes in Russia. Investors also understand where the power is concentrated. A chief strategist at a Moscow bank stated that the markets would not be affected if Medvedev were to leave, but if Putin were to depart, there would be chaos. However, the frequent discrepancies in public demeanor between Putin and Medvedev have sparked speculation among some observers of Russia, who believe there may be disagreements or a power struggle occurring within the elite. Supporters of Medvedev are particularly focused on spreading this narrative to enhance his image as a reformist, according to diplomats. According to this perspective, Medvedev's slow progress in reform is attributed to his cautious approach to avoid conflicting with Putin. On the other hand, proponents of the president argue that Medvedev will eventually take bolder actions at an unspecified point in the future. Nevertheless, many individuals with close ties to those in power dismiss these claims. Opposition journalist Yulia Latynina argues that there is no real power struggle between Putin, who holds all the power, and Medvedev, who has none. Sceptics believe that Medvedev, who has worked closely with Putin for 19 years, is unlikely to have a secret reform agenda. Many commentators predict that Putin will return to the presidency in 2012, thanks to a constitutional reform extending the term to six years. Putin is more popular and trusted than Medvedev, according to expert Olga Kryshtanovskaya. I have recently returned from a trip to the provinces where I found that the prevailing belief is that Putin will return in 2012. I also hold this belief, as I think Putin has greater resources and support.