Today, on March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on amendments to the Russian Constitution. Previously, it was assumed that the package of amendments to the Russian Constitution would be approved by the head of the Kremlin almost a week later. The decree "On improvements to certain aspects in regulations of organization and functioning of public power" has been published on the Kremlin’s website.

During the second reading of the bill on amendments to the Russian Constitution in the Russian Parliament, the State Duma, MP Valentina Tereshkova proposed an amendment that allows to "reset" Putin’s presidential terms. This will give Putin an opportunity to run for president in 2024 and, theoretically, be president until 2036. Tereshkova later said she had been asked to propose such amends by "ordinary people."

Putin himself, commenting on the amendment, approved it in general, but added that it should be analyzed by the Constitutional Court. The bill was approved by the State Duma without a single vote against it. In the Federation Council, one MP voted against it. Later it was approved by all regional parliaments of the country.

At the same time, pickets against "resetting" have already been held in several Russian cities, and the opposition has stated that the adoption of this amendment is unconstitutional and will lead to the "usurpation of power" in the country.

Russian human rights activists, politicians, lawyers, and experts in the field of constitutional law have prepared and signed an open appeal to the Council of Europe calling for a review of the amendments to the Russian Constitution and on the procedure for their adoption.

  Putin, Russia, Constitution

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