Media and analysts were caught short by President Vladimir Putin\'s surprise 1 March nomination of Russian envoy to the EU Mikhail Fradkov as the next prime minister, Russian media reported on 2 March. In the flurry of press reports about Fradkov following Putin\'s announcement, the term \"technocrat\" was often used. Writing on politcom.ru, Center for Political Technologies Deputy Director Aleksei Makarkin suggested that one of the reasons Putin picked a \"technocrat\" was that the president is not interested in creating a \"diarchy or making the prime minister a co-ruler.\" Fradkov, according to Makarkin, cannot be considered a possible successor to Putin. He also can serve the function of \"accepting responsibility for a series of unpopular reforms,\" Makarkin wrote. Ekspertiz foundation head Mark Urnov predicted that Fradkov will serve only the first half of Putin\'s second term, assuming -- as widely expected -- that Putin wins the 14 March presidential election. After that, \"it will be necessary to declare a successor,\" Urnov said. (RFE/RL)