After the Duma twice rejected Černomyrdin's candidacy to the post of prime minister, President El'cin, forced to compromise on a candidate acceptable to both reformers and hard-core Communists, nominated Foreign Minister Yevgeny Primakov as the new candidate. He was overwhelmingly approved by the Duma on 11 Sep 1998 and appointed Chairman of the Government by presidential decree on the same day. Primakov's appointment partially restored political stability because he was seen as a compromise candidate for Russia's quarreling interest groups. Primakov invited members of all the leading parliamentary factions into his Cabinet. Primakov's government acted with caution, and by year's end the feared emission had not begun. Primakov had great difficulty in persuading his coalition government to agree on an economic rescue program. It was not until late October that a new draft was submitted to the International Monetary Fund. This included plans to let the ruble float, introduce some price controls, and expand the role of the government in regulating the economy. In the spring of 1999, the polls indicated growing popularity of Primakov despite a slow progress in implementation of anti-crisis program. Uneasy co-operation and political rivalry between El'cin and Primakov led to the latter's dismissal on 12 May 1999. |
