The United Russia party convention has unanimously voted to nominate its leader, Vladimir Putin, as its presidential candidate for the March 4 elections.

The ruling party held the second part of its pre-election congress on Sunday, November 27, after the upper house of the Russian Parliament on Friday officially approved March 4 as the date for presidential elections, triggering the presidential race.

Putin has already been elected president twice, in 2000 and 2004. As Russia has recently lengthened the presidential term, the winner of the 2012 election will take up the post for six years, with the right to stand for a second six-year term.

The decision to nominate Putin, who is Russia’s current prime minister, was also supported by delegates of the Popular Front – a new organization bringing together supporters of Putin and United Russia.

Putin’s candidacy, however, was decided much earlier during the first part of the convention in September when incumbent President Dmitry Medvedev endorsed Putin as United Russia’s candidate. At the same convention, Putin said that he supported Medvedev as number one on United Russia’s list at the parliamentary elections due on December 4, Rt reported.