Putin can stay in power longer - Russian constitutional amendment

[lpetrich]

China's Xi allowed to remain 'president for life' as term limits removed - BBC News - Xi Jinping's stay in office was due to end in 2023.

Now Putin has done it.

• Putin Endorses Brazen Remedy to Extend His Rule, Possibly for Life - The New York Times - Mar 10 - "In a carefully scripted appearance, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia agreed he should be allowed to seek two more terms, if the Constitutional Court approves."
• Russian senators endorse Putin's constitutional changes | News | Al Jazeera - Mar 11
• Russia alters constitution to keep Vladimir Putin in power beyond 2024 | PBS NewsHour - Mar 11
• Putin Formally Signs Off On Constitutional Changes That Allow Him To Extend Power - Mar 14
• Russia's Constitutional Court Approves Amendments Allowing Putin To Rule Until 2036 - Mar 16
• Russia's Putin orders April vote on constitutional changes despite coronavirus - Reuters - Mar 17
• Russia constitutional court approves amendment allowing Putin to serve two additional terms - JURIST - News - Legal News & Commentary - Mar 17
•  2020 amendments to the Constitution of Russia
•  2020 Russian constitutional referendum

What's in it?

Though Vladimir Putin is now 67, he wants to stay in power past 2024, and he wants to stay until at least 2036. He will be 83 then. VP became Prime Minister in 1999 and President in 2000. He was re-elected in 2004 but had to step down in 2008. He became Prime Minister while Dmitry Medvedev became President. Putin was elected President again in 2012, and then in 2018.

In addition to letting Putin stay in power longer, the changes include

• Increasing the powers of the Presidency
• Banning same-sex marriage
• Stating that "belief in God" is one of Russia's traditional values.