Moscow, 5 January 2000 (RFE/RL) - Russia's Federation Council, the
upper house of parliament, is due to meet today to set the date for
Russia's early presidential election. Under the constitution, the vote is to take place within three months of the resignation of the former head of state. A date in late March is expected to be chosen.
Boris Yeltsin resigned as president on December 31, six months early, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has assumed the role of acting president. Putin yesterday said Yeltsin's resignation was intended to deliberately give him a boost in the forthcoming vote.