In geopolitical terms, it was remiss of me to prioritise the change of government in Ireland ahead of the change in Russia, but hopefully I may be forgiven a little localism just this once and, in any case, the change in Russia is arguably hardly a change at all.

On 7 May Dmitry Medvedev was sworn in as Russian president. RFE/RL has a report on the changing nature of Russian presidential inaugurations since 1991. In short, they have become much more lavish affairs and now include an inaugural speech.

On 8 May Vladimir Putin’s nomination as prime minister by Medvedev was approved by 392 votes to 56. Putin was supported by the party he now heads, the United Russia party, as well as by the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia and A Just Russia. Only the communists opposed him. RFE/RL also reports, interestingly, that some of Putin’s last decisions as president involved strengthening the power of the prime minister. They report that he “signed decrees that make regional governors accountable to the prime minister, rather than to the president. He has also transferred some key members of his presidential administration to the prime minister’s office”.