What Putin’s New Constitution Means for Russia and the West – By Patrick Tucker (Defense One) / June 30 2020
A series of constitutional amendments will cement Putin’s hold on power, change Russian life, and give the West fewer options for dealing with him.
Russians will vote on a series of constitutional amendments on Wednesday that would allow Vladimir Putin, whose approval rating has lately been collapsing, to stay in power until 2036.
The new laws would also give the president more authority to set Russia’s foreign policy agenda, extend his power into local affairs, help him block potential political challengers, and allow him to select candidates for ministerial posts — the latter, considered to be a swipe at Russia’s legislative assembly, the Duma.
The referendum will be an up-or-down vote on 206 amendments rolled into a single package. New versions of the constitution with the amendments in place are already on sale in bookstores.
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