President Putin rejects idea of lifelong leadership like in Soviet times
(Baonghean.vn) - President Vladimir Putin said on January 18 that he does not want Russia to return to the old Soviet practice of having lifelong rulers who die in office without a proper succession strategy.
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| President Putin visits a 3D war reenactment site in St. Petersburg on January 18. Photo: Reuters |
His remarks, made before World War II veterans in St. Petersburg, came just days after he announced a sweeping overhaul of the political system, which led to Dmitry Medvedev's resignation as prime minister and the dissolution of the government.
In a surprise move, Mr Putin has chosen little-known head of Russia's tax agency, Mikhail Mishustin, to be the country's next prime minister. Russians are now waiting to find out which ministers will continue in their new government.
Putin's changes, which would amend the constitution to create new centres of power beyond the presidency, are seen by Western media as giving the 67-year-old leader room to extend his grip on power when he steps down in 2024. Putin has held either the presidency or prime minister positions in Russian politics for two decades.
Critics accuse Putin, a former KGB officer, of planning to retain some power after his term ends, suspecting he wants to stay in power in the world’s largest country and one of the world’s two leading nuclear superpowers.
In remarks on January 18, Putin, who has said he wants to limit future presidents to two terms in power, despite currently serving a fourth term, dismissed the idea of Russian presidents for life.
Asked by a veteran on the occasion of the 77th anniversary of the breaking of the siege of Leningrad whether it was time to abolish term limits for presidents, Putin said: “As for the terms of office, I understand that the concerns associated with it are those of many who have concerns about the stability of society, the state, both inside and outside the country.”
“But it would be very worrying if we returned to the situation we had in the mid-1980s, when one head of state would stay in power until the end of his life and then leave without ensuring the necessary conditions for the transfer of power. So thank you very much, but I think it would be better not to return to that situation.”
