Newsweek: Prokhorov Got Kremlin Permission to Set Up Party

In this week's Newsweek, Mikhail Prokhorov is profiled as a reluctant politician whose main job is as "loyal opposition" to Russia's top two leaders but also someone around whom the country's intelligentsia and business elite is likely to rally, leaving open the possibility of electoral success in the future.

Prokhorov is described by Newsweek as "being handpicked by President Dmitry Medvedev as a safe straw man to lead a opposition party that will lightly criticize the Kremlin but avoid any real dissent" and thus has nothing to worry about in terms of revenge. It also suggests that immediately after agreeing to take over the "Right Cause" party, he "headed to [Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin for approval and instructions, according to one of Right Cause’s founders."

Still, says the influential magazine, Prokhorov's entry into politics is attracting "some of Russia’s best and brightest" and "thanks to Prokhorov, some of Russia’s top minds will be involved in December’s election race, making for some lively debates". Prokhorov will addresss his political future in a speech June 25.

• Oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov Set To Head New Party - Newsweek