Russian lawmakers vote to reappoint Mishustin as PM

Russian lawmakers voted to reappoint Mikhail Mishustin as prime minister after President Vladimir Putin nominated him to continue in the post he’s held for more than four years.

Mishustin was backed by 375 deputies in the lower house of Russia’s parliament at a hearing on Friday, with none against and 57 abstentions. Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov earlier announced that the fraction would abstain.

Putin named Mishustin, 58, as prime minister in January 2020, shortly before he changed the Russian constitution to allow himself two more terms as president. The government formally resigned after Putin’s inauguration on Tuesday for his fifth term. Other ministerial appointments are expected in the coming days.

Acting finance minister Anton Siluanov and acting economy minister Maxim Reshetnikov are set to continue in their posts, the RBC news site

Acting finance minister Siluanov and acting economy minister Reshetnikov are also set to continue

reported Friday, citing people familiar with the situation that it didn’t identify.

Putin, who’s ruled Russia for the whole of the 21st century so far, is beginning another six-year term after gaining a record 87% in March’s tightly controlled presidential election in which he faced no serious competition. The 71-yearold president is already the longest-serving Kremlin ruler since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.