Presidency of Dmitry Medvedev

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Presidency of Dmitry Medvedev 7 May 2008 – 7 May 2012
President	Dmitry Medvedev
Party	United Russia
Election	2008
Seat	Moscow Kremlin
← Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin →
Emblem of the president

This article is part of a series about Dmitry Medvedev
Former Prime Minister of Russia Former President of Russia Early life Political views Medvedev Doctrine Elections 2008 (campaign) Presidency Constitutional reform Economic reform Inauguration International trips Police reform Obama-Medvedev Commission Premiership First cabinet Second cabinet Media gallery
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The presidency of Dmitry Medvedev began on 8 May 2008, when he became the 3rd President of the Russian Federation. Medvedev was the Head of the Presidential Administration during the 2nd term of Vladimir Putin as president, and the Chairman of Gazprom oil company. Dmitry Medvedev was the youngest Russian leader since 1918 at the time of his inauguration.

Medvedev's main domestic agenda was the wide-ranging Medvedev modernisation programme which aimed at modernising Russia's economy and society. In particular, the massive Skolkovo innovation center, part of the modernisation programme, is often regarded as Medvedev's brainchild. Another important program was the Russian police reform, launched by Medvedev in 2009, and led to the renaming of the Policing Organisation from Militsiya to police.

In foreign policy, Medvedev assumed a more conciliatory tone than his predecessor, pursuing a closer relationship with the United States in general and with President Barack Obama in particular; The New START nuclear arms reduction treaty is regarded as Medvedev's main achievement in foreign affairs. Under Medvedev, Russia intervened on behalf of South Ossetia and Abkhazia after a Georgian military attack against the de facto independent regions, and emerged victorious in the ensuing five-day 2008 South Ossetia war.

During Medvedev's tenure, Russia also struggled with and recovered from the Great Recession. Other important decisions made by Medvedev include lowering the Duma election threshold from 7% to 5%, firing Moscow's powerful but criticised mayor Yuri Luzhkov, launching a large-scale privatisation of state-owned companies, removing state officials from the boards of state-owned companies and the extension of the Presidential term from four years to six.