Before teeing off on democracy...

Try imagine living without it...

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.

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