[1] A popular figure in Russia, speculation rested on whom Putin might tap to be his "chosen successor".
[1] In September 2007 Putin dismissed Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, who had previously been speculated as a potential successor to him.
[1] On October 1, 2007, Putin announced that he would run for parliament at the head of United Russia's ticket in the 2007 legislative election.
[1] On December 10, 2007, roughly a week after United Russia handily won the legislative election, Putin announced that his hand-picked candidate to succeed him as president would be Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
[1] The following day Medvedev announced that, if elected president, he would nominate Putin to serve as his Prime Minister.