Timetable for the Presidential Election: 4 March 2012

24 September 2011: Putin tells the annual congress of the United Russia party that he would be willing to accept their nomination to stand in the presidential election that was due the following March.He announces at the same time that outgoing President Dmitri Medvedev might be nominated as Prime Minister following the 4 December 2011 Duma election.

25 November 2011: Federation Council announces that polling day will be Sunday 4 March 2012.

27 November 2011: United Russia congress formally agrees to nominate Putin.

4 March 2012: Polling day.