Asked by a Russian villager to run again for president, Putin says he'll ‘think it over’

In a video conference with villagers in Buryatia affected by local wildfires, Vladimir Putin promised to “think over” the possibility of running for another presidential term.

“Mr. Putin, we have a request for you: when the next presidential election takes place, we ask you to run again for the position,” the man told the president. “I’ll think it over, thank you,” Putin answered.

Russia’s next presidential election will be held on March 18, 2018. Under Russian law, Vladimir Putin is allowed to run for another term, which would be his fourth. Putin was previously elected in 2012, 2004, and 2000, spending Dmitry Medvedev’s presidency from 2008 to 2012 as Russian prime minister.

Putin has yet to announce his candidacy in next year’s presidential race officially, though the Russian media has buzzed for months with reports that the Kremlin is busy preparing a campaign. According to the news agency RBC, Putin will run as an independent, announcing his candidacy closer to the end of the year. According to a survey in late April by the independent Levada Center, almost half of Russians were ready to vote for Putin in the next presidential election.