Putin believes Russia needs him as 'he is among rare breed of talented world leaders'

Irish Sun (ANI) Sunday 13th November, 2011

Vladimir Putin has again defended his decision to return to the Russian presidency, saying that the country need him as there are not enough talented world leaders to fill his generation's shoes.

Forcefully rebuffing suggestions that Russia's de facto one party political system had outlived its usefulness, Putin said he accepted there had to be changes but made it clear they would be evolutionary not revolutionary, the Telegraph reports.

"Listen, take any country. Silvio Berlusconi is stepping down in Italy for example. (But) are there many politicians in Italy of his stature? Name me one," Putin said as he delivered a eulogy to his "great friend".

Putin suggested that the embattled Italian prime minister's image as a womaniser was a deliberate ploy to attract attention, and praised him for having brought years of political stability to Italy.

Arguing it would be hard for Italy to fill Berlusconi's shoes, he said the dearth of talented leaders extended to America too.

"Or take the United States, there will be elections there soon. But the Republicans are winning, well they could win, but they have not got a leader! Where are they? The whole American system needs changing," the paper quoted him, as saying.

Putin gave the impression that the same problem existed in Russia, which is why he was staying in top-flight politics.

He tried to suggest that he was irreplaceable and was motivated to stay in power only by a selfless duty to steer what he regards as Russia's extraordinary post-Soviet renaissance.

"It does not mean that if you have got one hundred new people, they should all think they can be president. They can try, but finding people who are up to it is not easy," Putin said. (ANI)