Magomed Daudov. Photo: Chechen parliament
The speaker of the Chechen parliament, Magomed Daudov, has announced his resignation after nine years in the role, state-owned news agency TASS reported on Wednesday.
“Today … I resign as a deputy and, therefore, speaker of parliament,” Daudov was quoted as saying. He said he had reached the decision after meeting with the head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
Daudov, who has held the post since 2015, has been a key Kadyrov ally since the early days of his rule. Novaya Gazeta Europe wrote in April that he was known as the regime’s attack dog and had proven himself to be both cruel and efficient. Kadyrov had previously tasked him with solving all unforeseen emergencies, from managing Chechnya’s Covid response to providing volunteers to fight in Ukraine.
Daudov and Adam Delimkhanov, the deputy representing Chechnya in Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, had been the two members of the Kadyrov entourage to stand out as possible successors to the terminally ill leader. Unlike Delimkhanov, Daudov’s power has never extended beyond the republic’s borders.
The news comes as another Kadyrov associate — Ruslan Edelgeriev — who has worked in the Presidential Administration in Moscow for years in a vaguely defined role as adviser on climate issues, was appointed as an aide to Vladimir Putin as part of a wide-ranging reshuffle announced after his inauguration for his fifth presidential term on 7 May.
