Russia will hold 2012 presidential elections on March 4, Reuters quoted a Central Election Committee official as saying on Thursday. Current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and his successor as president, Dmitry Medvedev -- whom Putin steered to power when facing a constitutional ban on a third presidential term in 2008 -- have both indicated they could run next year. However, they have strongly suggested they will not compete against each other. Russian legislation sets the first or second Sunday of March as possible dates for a presidential vote in 2012 but says that polls must be held on a non-working day. "The elections will be held on March 4," Election Committee member Yelena Dubrovina told Reuters. "We can't (hold elections) on the 11th, because it will be a working day." March 11 will be a working day in Russia to allow for a long weekend following a public holiday on Thursday, March 8, International Women's Day, which is widely celebrated in the former Soviet Union. -- SPA
