MOSCOW, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - A successor to President Vladimir Putin will be the only person capable of resisting left-wing political forces at the 2008 presidential election in Russia, a presidential aide said Friday.
Igor Shuvalov said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio that right-wing candidacies would not be elected because people would not vote for them.
"Since leftist sentiments are strong [in the country] the alternative to Putin would be a left-winger, which is very dangerous," Shuvalov said.
Putin has been repeatedly saying that he will not run for the third term because the Russian Constitution does not allow him to do so. A president can remain in office for two consecutive terms but is entitled to return to the post for a third time after an interval.
