Russia's ruling tandem of Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev will continue to govern after the 2012 presidential election, the speaker of the lower house of parliament said on Friday.

Putin stepped down as president in May 2008, ushering in his handpicked protege Medvedev as his successor. Medvedev immediately appointed Putin as prime minister.

Most Russians say Putin remains the dominant leader and the former KGB officer has refused to rule out running for president again in 2012.

When asked who the United Russia ruling party would back in the 2012 presidential election, speaker Boris Gryzlov, who is also the parliamentary leader of Putin's party, said:

"I think that after that (the 2012 election) the same tandem will run our country."

Gryzlov did not elaborate in his comments, posted on the www.gazeta.ru online newspaper, nor did he say who he expected to be president.

The future of Putin, who remains Russia's most popular politician, is the subject of heated speculation in Russia and he is widely expected to return to the Kremlin in 2012, opening up the prospect of two six-year terms as president.

Medvedev has never officially joined United Russia, but the the endorsed him as its favoured candidate in 2008.

Reuters