Vladimir Putin's return to the presidency on Monday will technically give him greater powers than he wielded as prime minister. The irony is that his position will be arguably weaker than at any time since he first came to power more than 12 years ago.
In part because of the heavy-handed way in which he reclaimed the presidency, Putin finds himself the leader of a changed country, where a growing portion of society is no longer willing to silently tolerate a government that denies its citizens a political voice.
How Putin responds to the calls for free elections and accountable government will help define his next six years in office and to a great extent determine the future of Russia itself.
The pressure on Putin began to build in the months ahead of the March presidential election as a series of protests drew tens of thousands onto the streets of Moscow. Although the number of protesters has dwindled since the vote and expectations were low for an opposition rally on Sunday, the protest movement has led to real change in Russia.
Note EU-Digest: Whatever the criticism about Russian President Vladimir Putin is, it can be safely concluded he will end up in the history books as one of the great Russian leaders in the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Without his strong leadership Russia as we know it today would probably have fallen apart. He brought stability, economic growth and a sense of pride back to Russia.
Read more: Putin returns to presidency in a changed Russia :: WRAL.com
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