Putin is widely expected to take up the position of chairman of the state council — a presidential advisory board that will be enshrined in the constitution and endowed with ill-defined powers to “determine the main directions of domestic, foreign and socio-economic policy.” That would allow him to to keep a finger on the wheel of state while stepping back from the daily driving.
Given that such a move would leave him with few official powers, Putin is likely to choose a loyal successor to ensure the country stays the course he charted, analysts say. The shake-up is aimed at preserving his legacy in a country where new leaders have typically rejected the ideology of their predecessors: Khrushchev dismantled the Stalin cult, Yeltsin dissolved the country that Gorbachev tried to preserve, and Putin himself gradually reversed Yeltsin’s pro-Western, reformist course.
Guessing at who Putin will choose to elevate is fraught with uncertainty. The 67-year-old Russian leader is known for keeping his options open and leaving decisions until the last minute. He will be looking for someone strong enough to keep tight control of the world’s biggest country, but loyal enough to ensure his security and that of his allies.
Privately, the Russian leader has almost certainly narrowed down his choices, said Olga Kryshtanovskaya, a sociologist who has been studying the Russian elite for decades. “The selection of people is already defined … These people are now in key positions.”
