Putin critic Yavlinsky poised for election

MOSCOW, June 16 (UPI) -- The liberal Yabloko party announced Saturday that party head Grigory Yavlinsky would be its candidate in the 2008 Russian presidential election.

Yavlinsky is a 10-year member of the Duma and associate of the late Boris Yeltsin who has been a critic of supposed anti-democratic moves by President Vladimir Putin.

The election is expected to pit Putin's hand-picked successor against multiple challengers despite some speculation that Putin will decide to seek a third term.

The RIA Novosti said the announcement about Yavlinsky was made at a meeting of the party's Federal Council in Moscow. The nomination won't be official, however, until a party congress is held.