SARATOV. Oct 23(Interfax) - The elections to the Russian parliament on December 2 will be a referendum of confidence in the president and his policies, Governor of the Saratov region Pavel Ipatov has said.

"In my view, what is going to happen on December 2 will not be even the parliamentary elections or some party winning a majority, but a referendum of confidence in the president, in the course pursued by him, the chances of continuing that course for making the country competitive, for creating living conditions for people in this country," Ipatov said at a meeting with managers of the leading local media outlets on Tuesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is an absolute national leader, who mainly set the course for the country's development, he said.

"The president's performance made a real difference in the country, and in his second term Putin became an actual absolute national leader supported by the majority of the population, and in particular, by more than 80% in the Saratov region. Today, judging by the polls and analyses currently conducted in the country the president has indeed united the whole nation around himself," Ipatov said.

"Certainly, Putin's historical mission or role is to pick up the slack. This will require, in my view, another several years or even decades," the governor said.