This week, Putin told the United Russia party that he will place his name at the top of its ballot for the parliamentary election scheduled for December 2, which could enable him to become Russia’s new prime minister after the presidential election due in March 2008. Of course, as he put it, Russia will have to elect as president a “decent, competent, effective, modern person with whom it would be possible to work in tandem.”
本周，普京告诉统一俄罗斯党在定于12月2日进行的议会选举中他将在该党竞选名单中占据首位，这可以使他在2008年3月的总统选举后成为俄罗斯的新总理。当然，像他所说的，俄罗斯必须选举一位“能够与之协同工作的正派、有竞争力、高效、有现代思想的人”担任总统。其他这句话的真正含意是说俄罗斯必须选择一个普京亲手挑选的、遵照他的吩咐行事的人。