Mr Putin spent the eight years since he was first elected president building up the powers of the office. He neutered the once-combative legislature and appointed prime ministers distinguished only by their loyalty: Mikhail Fradkov and, since last year, the even duller Viktor Zubkov.*
Now Mr Putin is reversing the process, robbing the presidency of its omnipotence.
As prime minister and party leader, he will have a tight grip on the country's finances and its regional elites.
Before teeing off on democracy...
Try imagine living without it...
