Russia's upper house of parliament has set March 4 as the date for the presidential election, a vote expected to return Vladimir Putin to the top job.

Earlier this year, Mr. Putin, the current prime minister, and President Dmitry Medvedev unveiled a plan to swap jobs in the March presidential election.

This would allow Mr. Putin to lead Russia for as long as 24 years — longer than the 17 years Leonid Brezhnev ruled the Soviet Union. Cartoons have appeared in the Russian press showing an aging Vladimir Putin wearing a Brezhnev-style uniform adorned with medals.

Mr. Putin told Russian television last month that while people “say that the stagnation of the Brezhnev times will be back soon,” he and Mr. Medvedev are smarter and have worked harder than leaders during the Soviet era.

Mr. Putin promised voters that there would be “no abrupt changes” in Russian policies.