Russia's LDPR Presidential Candidate Prepares List of Potential New Cabinet

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and its presidential candidate Vladimir Zhirinovsky said Friday that he has compiled a list of 53 people who might be part of the government in the event he wins the presidential election.

"We have our cabinet of 53 people. On Monday, we will present it in the central office of the LDPR. It means we are not just a parliamentary party, not just a group of lawmakers — we are able to take seats in those offices where other ministers are sitting today," Zhirinovsky said at a press conference.

The Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) has registered eight presidential candidates. Apart from Zhirinovsky, they are Sergey Baburin from the All-People's Union party, Pavel Grudinin supported by the Communist Party, incumbent Russian President Vladimir Putin, TV host Ksenia Sobchak from the liberal Civil Initiative party, the Communists of Russia party chairman Maxim Suraykin, Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs’ Rights Boris Titov and co-founder of the Yabloko party Grigory Yavlinsky.

The Russian presidential election is scheduled for March 18. The campaign started on December 18. Media campaigning will begin on Saturday and end one day prior to the election.