Biggest party wants Putin as chairman

Russia's biggest party said yesterday it would ask President Vladimir Putin to become its chairman at a conference that could provide the final clue in the riddle of who will really run Russia after Putin steps down.

Putin has said he will serve as prime minister once his protege, Dmitry Medvedev, is sworn in as president on May 7. But for many investors the critical questions of how much power Putin will wield and for how long remain unanswered.

The United Russia party had said it would invite Putin to be leader, but it said yesterday it was creating the new post of party chairman and would offer it to Putin. The chairman's job would free Putin from day-to-day management duties.