Russian parliament approves Medvedev as PM

MOSCOW - Russia's State Duma, the lower house of parliament, on Tuesday approved Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister in the new government.

Lawmakers voted 299-144 for Medvedev's appointment. He was backed by two of the four Duma factions, namely the United Russia and the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia. Communists and A Just Russia lawmakers voted against.

In his speech to lawmakers, Medvedev said the new government will focus on economic and social issues.

Medvedev will have a week to submit to the president the composition of the new cabinet, as well as candidates for the posts of deputy prime ministers and federal ministers.

Russia's new President Vladimir Putin on Monday submitted to the State Duma a bill, nominating former President Medvedev as prime minister.

Medvedev, born on September 14, 1965 in Russia's second largest city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg), graduated from the law faculty of Leningrad State University in 1987 and completed his post-graduate studies in 1990. He later achieved a PhD in law.

From 1990 to 1999, Medvedev worked as an associate professor of civil law at the law faculty of Leningrad State University, an advisor to the Chairman of the Leningrad City Council, an expert consultant to the St. Petersburg City Hall's Committee for External Affairs and deputy head of the government administration.

From 2000 to 2005, he served in sequence as deputy head, first deputy head and head of the presidential administration.

In November 2005, Medvedev was appointed first deputy prime minister to be in charge of national priority projects on demography, education, health care, agriculture, and housing construction.

Two years later, he was publicly supported by then President Vladimir Putin to compete in the presidential race.

In March 2008, Medvedev won the country's fifth presidential elections by a landslide.

Medvedev, the third and youngest Russian head of state since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, focused during his presidency on political reform, economic modernization, anti-corruption, promotion of innovation of science and technology, among others.

Under his four-year governance, Russia's economy has witnessed progress despite the global financial crisis. According to official figures, the country's GDP expanded by 4.2 percent in 2011, becoming the third fastest growing economy after China and India.

Without running for a second term in the 2012 presidential elections, Medvedev became the leader of the ruling United Russia Party in April.

He is married and fathers a son.