Russian lower house OKs Putin as PM

MOSCOW, May 8 (UPI) -- Vladimir Putin earned approval from Russia's lower parliamentary house Thursday as the country's prime minister after having been president for eight years.

All 448 members of the State Duma were present, approving Putin as prime minister on a 392-to-56 vote, reported Novosti, the Russian information agency.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, sworn in Wednesday, offered Putin the prime minister's post after being nominated as the presidential candidate by four pro-Kremlin parties in December, Novosti said. He officially nominated Putin after inauguration ceremonies at the Kremlin.

"I am positive we will continue to enjoy fruitful cooperation between the executive and legislative branches of power, the like of which we witnessed today in the State Duma," Medvedev said after the vote.

Putin, barred from running for a third term, picked Medvedev as his successor, agreeing to become prime minister if his protege were elected.