St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko, who on Tuesday agreed to stand for the post of speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament, has announced plans to run for parliament at a St. Petersburg municipal council election in August.
Matviyenko was nominated to become the first female head of the Federation Council last week by Rustem Khamitov, the head of Russia's oil-rich province of Bashkortostan in the southern Urals region. Her candidacy was backed by other governors.
In order to be able to occupy the post, she first needs to become deputy at a regional legislature.
Matviyenko's decision to stand for the post of speaker comes after the Federation Council's longtime speaker Sergei Mironov was ousted by the ruling United Russia party.
