All of Russia's 85 regional parliaments have voted in favor of a package of constitutional amendments that would allow Vladimir Putin to remain president until 2036, the state-run RIA news agency cited senior Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas as saying Friday.
The development comes days after Putin appeared at the State Duma to voice his support for an amendment that would allow him to reset his terms and seek the presidency two more times. The move came as part of sweeping constitutional changes that Putin first announced in January and many saw as a ploy by the Russian leader to retain power beyond the end of his term limit in 2024.
Both houses of Russia’s national parliament have since backed the new amendment and a majority of regional parliaments endorsed it Thursday, sufficient for it to move to the next stage of the approval process.
But Klishas was cited as saying that every single one of Russia's 85 regional parliaments had now said yes.
"The Federation Council [ upper house of parliament] has received the results of voting in all 85 regional parliaments," said Klishas. "They are all positive," RIA cited him as saying.
The list of 85 regions he referenced includes two that are part of Russian-controlled Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
The amendments will now be sent to Putin’s desk, where he is expected to sign them on March 18, the anniversary of the annexation.
Russia's Constitutional Court must now examine the constitutional changes, which are due to be put to a nationwide vote in April.
The drafted amendments also contain pledges to adjust pensions to inflation and guarantee a minimum wage, as well as enshrine faith in God and define marriage as a heterosexual union.
Reuters contributed reporting to this article.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
