Russia's lower house, the Duma, has approved the candidacy of Dmitry Medvedev to renew his term in office as the country's prime minister after being officially proposed for the post by the Russian president.
Medvedev, 53, was nominated by Vladimir Putin to again serve as his PM, thus continuing with the tandem that has ruled Russia for the past decade, although the office of the presidency is by far the most powerful of the two.
The re-elected PM, who also served as president between 2008-12 while Putin occupied the premiership, obtained the backing of 374 Duma members, combining nationalist votes with those of the governing United Russia party, while 56 Communist and Social Democratic lawmakers voted against him.
