Putin may run for presidency in 2018

President Vladimir Putin said he might run for re-election in 2018. He was literally prompted to say this by former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon at the Valdai International Discussion Club on Thursday, September 19. Putin’s reply left Fillon no choice but say that he, too, might run for the presidency in France in 2017. The Russian president, who had been talking with the Valdai Club participants for some two hours by that moment, suggested that the audience put questions to his colleagues too, and led the way by asking Fillon whether he was going to run for the office of president in France. Fillon said he would not answer this question because Putin had earlier left a similar question unanswered. “There was such a question? I didn’t hear it,” Putin noted but then said, “I do not rule that out.” Fillon followed suit by saying, “Neither do I.” The next presidential election in France is to be held in 2017.