The Russian state Duma adopted amendments to the Constitution, Putin can stay in power after 2024

Russian state Duma approved a large-scale constitutional reform in the third and final reading on Wednesday, March 11, a move that will allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power for another 12 years after the end of its current term of office in 2024.

The state Duma has approved a number of amendments to the Constitution and a provision establishing the recalculation of the presidential term for Putin. «For» vote of 383 persons «against» — zero, 43 abstained. A nationwide vote on the proposed amendments scheduled for April 22.

Kremlin critics condemned the move as cynical manipulation and called for protests.

Vladimir Putin, the 67-year-old former KGB ruled Russia for more than 20 years. After two consecutive four-year terms, Putin moved to the post of Prime Minister in 2008 when his close ally Dmitry Medvedev became President. The term of presidency was extended to six years under Medvedev, and in 2012 Putin returned to the Kremlin as President. In 2018 he was re-elected for another six years.

The constitutional reform, adopted by the Duma on Wednesday, will allow Putin to run for President two more times after 2024. On the eve of national voting reform will be considered by the Constitutional court of Russia.

The proposal to «restart» the terms of office of the incumbent President was nominated by the 83-year-old former Soviet kosmonavtah Valentina Tereshkova, now a Deputy of the state Duma. After the speech Tereshkova Putin quickly came to the Duma, to legislators, and supported this idea.

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