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Volodin elected new State Duma speaker

A total of 404 out of 449 lawmakers voted for Volodin’s candidacy, while 40 deputies supported his rival, Dmitry Novikov of the Communist Party

Vyacheslav Volodin Dmitry Serebryakov/TASS

Vyacheslav Volodin

© Dmitry Serebryakov/TASS

MOSCOW, October 5. /TASS/. Putin's ex-Deputy Chief of Staff Vyacheslav Volodin has been elected the new State Duma speaker.

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Putin nominates his deputy chief of staff for State Duma speaker

Earlier Vladimir Putin had called on the newly elected State Duma to support the candidacy of Vyacheslav Volodin as its speaker. This was an important issue, the Russian president noted, as the previous speaker, Sergey Naryshkin, had been offered a leading post in the foreign intelligence service (SVR).

Putin assumeed that big experience at parliament would help Vyacheslav Volodin to structure work in position of the State Duma speaker.

New Duma's priorities

The socioeconomic agenda and implementation of "May Decrees" of the Russian President are priorities for the State Duma, Volodin has noted

"Taking care of our citizens is the most important in our work, therefore we should focus on the socioeconomic agenda, whose priorities are identified in "May Decrees" of the Russian President."

Russian political parties need to be consolidated in their approach to issues of national defense and security:

"Another priority includes issues of national defense and foreign politics," Volodin said addressing the first session of the newly-elected State Duma adding that the previous Duma "consolidated all political parties" regarding this issue.

"We need to do everything possible to provide for the succession of work on these issues," he added.

External pressure on Russia

An unprecedented pressure on Russia exerted by foreign countries requires consolidation and coordinated efforts, according to Vyacheslav Volodin.

"Global economy problems, unprecedented pressure on our country, exerted by certain foreign countries, require the consolidation and concurrence of our actions."

"At this point I fully agree with (Russian Communist Party leader) Zyuganov that we need to learn lessons from the history of our country and must not repeat the path that our country has covered without taking into account such rule as multiparty system, competitiveness and the ability to hold a dialogue," Volodin said.

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