Vladimir Putin May Go for Fourth Term
Published at
Junko Kimura/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — Vladimir Putin must love being Russia’s president because he hasn’t ruled out running for a fourth term.
Although the next election isn’t until 2018, the fiery leader dropped a huge hint Thursday about his future plans during a conversation he had with French Prime Minister François Fillon at a policy-making summit in Russia.
Putin was initially asked about a fourth term but never got around to answering the question. So when he asked Fillon if he had designs on the French presidency, the guest responded, “I would not answer that question, because you did not answer it.”
Seemingly caught, Putin remarked, “I wouldn’t exclude it.”
If Putin were to run and won, it would put him in the position of being Russia’s longest-serving ruler since Josef Stalin, who headed the entire former Soviet Union from 1929 to 1953 as its dictator.
Putin first served two terms as president from 2000-2008. He became prime minister from 2009-2012, and then took over again as president last year, with a term now lasting six years.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio