How Vyacheslav Volodin secured a record third term as speaker of Russia’s State Duma — and why Putin keeps him there

Vyacheslav Volodin secured a record third term as speaker of Russia's State Duma, a position that holds significant power within the Kremlin's political structure. On September 30, 2026, Volodin opened the ninth session of the State Duma, emphasizing that Russia's problems originate from within and cannot be defeated externally. He attributed this notion to a historical perspective, suggesting that the country must focus on internal issues to maintain unity and stability.

Volodin's path to becoming the speaker was not without competition. In 2021, Dmitry Medvedev, the leader of United Russia, expressed interest in the position, hoping to secure it for himself. However, his aspirations were not approved by Vladimir Putin, the then-president of Russia. Medvedev's exclusion from the party's candidate list left him without a chance to assume the speakership.

The Kremlin's domestic policy team, concerned about Medvedev's potential impact on United Russia's low approval ratings, preferred to have Volodin as the speaker. This decision solidified Volodin's position within the Kremlin's inner circle, further cementing his influence over the party's affairs. His political career began in the Saratov region, where he won a seat on the city council as an independent in 1990.

After the Soviet Union's collapse, Volodin worked as a political consultant, helping Yury Kitov become mayor of Saratov. His success in Saratov eventually led him to Moscow, where he built Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov's political movement, Fatherland.

United Russia, a party that emerged as a result of the merger between Fatherland and All Russia, played a crucial role in Volodin's rise. In 2005, he was appointed secretary of United Russia's General Council, a key position within the party. His administrative abilities and close ties to the Kremlin's domestic policy team helped him gain significant influence over party affairs. Putin, recognizing Volodin's potential, brought him back into the executive branch as government chief of staff in 2010.