Kremlin makes history by appointing Russia’s first female Senate leader
MOSCOW, Russia — Valentina Matviyenko, a Kremlin protege, was easily elected as the speaker of the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian bicameral parliament, thus becoming the first woman in the country’s history to hold such post, the third highest office in the nation’s political power hierarchy.
“For me, this appointment is very interesting, it's a combination of new emotions, drive and energizer,” the new Senate leader, who till the recent job was the governor of St. Petersburg, the country’s second largest city, said after the official inauguration.
The new Senate speaker specially thanked the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, for putting forward her candidacy for the post that became vacant earlier in the year with sacking of the previous speaker, Sergei Mironov, and the residents of St. Petersburg for their support in electing her a senator, a prerequisite for contesting for the Senate’s leadership position. “I am grateful to the Russian president, the people of St. Petersburg and all senators for giving me their support," she said.
In her inaugural speech, Mativiyenko promised a series of future reforms such as returning to election of senators and other vital measures, including fighting rampant truancy among the senators, aimed at increasing the political clout of the Senate often seen by ordinary Russians as a ‘political sanctuary’ for retired elder statesmen loyal to the Kremlin, who consequently rubber stamp all government initiatives without subjecting to them to due scrutiny.
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