Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev says Russian president-elect Vladimir Putin will have to make democratic reforms in the face of opposition complaints of election fraud.
Gorbachev told euronews that restoring confidence in the Russian political system would be a key challenge for Putin:
“Even if he wanted to go back to old ways, he couldn’t do so in this current situation. Moreover, I think we soon will have to change things – namely, elect a new parliament, because we knew how this election happened and in what conditions.”
The 81-year-old also expressed his support for third-placed candidate Mikhail Prokhorov:
“I liked Prokhorov – maybe because we’re fed up with all the others. He has fresh ideas, new ways of presenting his vision and he has a lot of experience in business. But he has a lot to learn though like the rest of us.”
The full, exclusive interview will be broadcast on euronews from ten thirty PM Central European time tonight.