Russia amends its constitution; Putin could become president for life.
Russia will amend its current constitution, and President Vladimir Putin could rule for life. This scenario is being mentioned more and more frequently by Russian officials.
During a meeting of the ruling United Russia party on December 26, Russian officials discussed the scenario in which incumbent President Putin could continue to lead the country when the current term limits expire.
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| President Vladimir Putin. Photo: NDTV. |
In March 2018, Putin was re-elected President of the Russian Federation for another six-year term. The country's constitution does not allow President Putin to run for re-election in 2024, the year his second consecutive term ends. However, Russian officials have hinted that President Putin, who has led Russia for nearly two decades, could amend the constitution to remain in power.
According to transcripts of the meeting obtained by Bloomberg, the Chairman of the Russian State Duma (Lower House of Parliament), Vyacheslav Volodin, told President Putin: “There are questions in society. Now is the time when we can answer these questions without threatening the fundamental provisions of the Constitution… Law, even a document like the Constitution (Basic Law), is not dogma.”
Volodin also stated that the current Russian Constitution was drafted 25 years ago, and the quarter-century anniversary of its application is perhaps an appropriate time to reassess its provisions. Speaker of the State Duma Volodin proposed that Constitutional Court judges and legal experts participate in evaluating “how the Constitution and the rules governing its creation align with the principles already adopted.”
President Putin is cautious.
The minutes of the meeting with the United Russia party did not mention President Putin's reaction to Volodin's proposal. Responding to press questions on December 26, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also declined to comment on the matter. However, analysts believe that amending the Russian Constitution would be easily approved if Putin supported it.
Speaking to reporters after his re-election in March, Putin said: “At this moment, I have no plans to reform the Constitution… What am I going to do, rule until I’m 100 years old? No, I have no such intention.”
However, speculation about the possibility of amending the Constitution is growing. Earlier this month, President Putin said the Constitution “is not a fossilized legal structure, but a living and constantly evolving one.” Speaking at his annual press conference last week, the Russian leader also stated that any constitutional changes are a matter for which the people should provide input.
Term limits
President Vladimir Putin is 66 years old and in good health. Political analyst Valery Solovei at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations assesses: “The general feeling is that no one can replace President Putin as the protector of the regime. No potential political candidate can guarantee the admiration of the people. Therefore, the best option is probably to change the structure to ensure that Putin remains at the center of the decision-making process.”
According to Solovei, another possibility is that Russia will upgrade an advisory body called the State Council into a supreme power body headed by Putin. The expert suggests that the constitutional amendment process could begin in 2020.
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| President Putin speaks after being re-elected for a fourth term. Photo: RT |
In November 2008, the Russian Federation Council (Senate) approved an amendment to the Constitution, increasing the presidential term from four to six years and the State Duma (Lower House) term from four to five years. In his 2008 State of the Union address, then-President Dmitry Medvedev declared that the Russian government supported extending each presidential term by two years to allow the head of state sufficient time to implement reform proposals. However, the provision that a president cannot serve more than two consecutive terms remained in effect.
In the election held on March 18, 2018, incumbent President Vladimir Putin received 76.66% of the vote, securing an overwhelming victory and continuing to lead Russia as president until 2024.
However, without amending the Constitution, Putin would not be allowed to run in 2024 due to having served two consecutive terms as president. Nevertheless, he could potentially run for president again in 2030, as the law does not prohibit former presidents from running. Putin himself did this when he served as Prime Minister of the Russian Federation from 2008 to 2012, while Dmitry Medvedev held the presidency.