Putin Proposes to Lower House to Appoint Mishustin as Russia's Prime Minister

MOSCOW, (Sputnik) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted a proposal to the State Duma, the lower house of Russia, to appoint Mikhail Mishustin as Russia's prime minister, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said on Friday.

"President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin has submitted a proposal to the State Duma on the candidacy of Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin for the post of prime minister," Volodin said on Telegram.

The Russian official added that it is important to receive answers to questions about demography, technological sovereignty, economic development, and defense capability when discussing the candidacy for the post of prime minister.

The discussion of the candidacy for the post of prime minister will take place in all factions of the parliament, and the State Duma's session will begin at 2 p.m. Moscow time (11:00 GMT), Volodin said.

He added that Mishustin will first report to the lower house and answer questions raised by lawmakers, and the vote on the candidacy will follow.

State Duma labor committee head Yaroslav Nilov said on Friday that he supports Mishustin's candidacy for the post of prime minister and expressed the belief that his colleagues in the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) will stand in solidarity in support of Mishustin.

"I fully support the president's proposal. Over the years, Mikhail Vladimirovich has repeatedly confirmed in practice his managerial competence in the most difficult and crisis situations," Nilov said on Telegram.

He said his faction will meet with Mishustin on Friday.

"After discussing with the candidate for the post of prime minister issues relevant to our faction, LDPR lawmakers will have to make a collegial decision: how to vote at the plenary session of the State Duma. I am sure that my colleagues will be in solidarity with me in supporting the candidacy of Mikhail Mishustin proposed by the president," Nilov said.

Putin was sworn in as the Russian president in the Kremlin on Tuesday. The Russian president will hold office for the next six years until 2030. After the inauguration, the Russian cabinet headed by Mishustin resigned in accordance with the law. The candidacy for the post of prime minister will be approved at the State Duma's session later on Friday.