Vladimir Putin has moved to cement his hold on power in Russia beyond the middle of the decade, backing a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow him to seek another term.
The Russian president is required by the constitution to step down in 2024 when his second sequential presidential term ends. But earlier on Tuesday a United Russia politician proposed amending the constitution in a way that would reset Putin’s presidential term count back to zero.
“In principle, this option would be possible, but on one condition – if the constitutional court gives an official ruling that such an amendment would not contradict the principles and main provisions of the constitution,” Putin said.
The Russian president, who has ruled since the turn of the century, gave his support to the amendment put forward by Valentina Tereshkova, an MP who, as a Soviet cosmonaut, became the first woman to fly to space.
Tereshkova proposed either scrapping presidential term limits or amending the Russian constitution to let Putin run again. A series of constitutional amendments are going to a nationwide vote on 22 April.
In an address to lawmakers in the Kremlin-controlled State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, Putin spoke against scrapping term limits, but backed the idea of revising the ceiling. The current law limits presidents to two consecutive terms. Putin’s current six-year term expires in 2024.
The 67-year-old has been in power for 20 years, becoming Russia’s longest-serving leader since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.
Tereshkova had told the Duma earlier on Tuesday: “The very existence of an opportunity for the current president [to be re-elected], given his major gravitas, would be a stabilising factor for our society.”
Putin appeared in the Duma after its speaker, Vyacheslav Volodin, announced a 90-minute break in the session to ponder the proposal and said Putin would come to the chamber himself to speak about it.
“The amendment Tereshkova has come forward with requires consulting with the current president,” Volodin said.
More details soon …
source https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/10/vladimir-putin-amendment-power-russia-2024
0 تعليقات