Support The Moscow Times!

First Results Show Overwhelming Support for Russia’s Constitutional Reforms

The Kremlin has pulled out all the stops to encourage turnout in the nationwide vote. Vladimir Smirnov / TASS

Nearly three-quarters of Russian voters have backed constitutional changes that pave the way for extending President Vladimir Putin’s rule until 2036, according to the Russian election commission’s preliminary results released Wednesday afternoon.

Polling stations have closed in the Russian Far East as the rest of the country continues voting for or against the package of 206 constitutional amendments. In addition to enshrining populist and conservative measures in the Constitution, the changes cancel a sitting or former president’s term limits, allowing Putin to seek two more terms when his current term ends in 2024.

After processing 1% of the ballots, the Central Election Commission (CEC) said 74.54% voted “yes” and 24.3% voted “no” to the package of amendments.

Observers criticized the CEC for releasing early results before polling stations close in the rest of the country.

Opponents of the vote who conducted their own exit polls said support for the reforms stood at 51% in Moscow (versus 49% against) and 44% in St. Petersburg (versus 56% against).

Nationwide voter turnout stands at over 60% so far, the CEC said.

Observers have previously said that the Kremlin was seeking a high turnout and “yes” votes to give legitimacy to the amendments, which have already been approved by both chambers of parliament, the Constitutional Court and Putin himself.

The Kremlin pulled out all the stops to encourage turnout, with polls extended over nearly a week, the last day of voting declared a national holiday and prizes — including apartments and cars — on offer to voters.

Putin has said the changes would not come into effect unless supported by a majority.

Golos, an independent election monitor, says it has received hundreds of complaints of violations, including people voting more than once and claims employers are putting pressure on staff to cast ballots.  

AFP contributed reporting to this article.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more