Russian parliament expected to approve letting Putin seek re-election

Russia’s lower house of parliament was expected on Wednesday to give its final approval for a raft of proposed amendments, including to enable President Vladimir Putin to run for another term.

Putin, 67, has been in power as president or prime minister for two decades. He is the longest serving Russian or Soviet leader since Joseph Stalin.

The constitution in its current form allows a president to serve for two consecutive terms, meaning that Putin would have to leave the presidency in four years.

Putin served two four-year terms as president from 2000 to 2008. After that the constitution was amended to provide six-year terms, and Putin returned the presidency in 2012 and was re-elected in 2018.

Read also: UN chief warns the world is ‘way off track’ to meet climate goals

The lower house of parliament is dominated by the political party most closely associated with Putin, United Russia, which has overwhelmingly supported the new draft amendments.

After passing the lower house, the bill was expected to be approved by the upper house on Saturday, then go to the Constitutional Court, the Russian news agency Interfax has reported.

Putin would like to sign the bill into law on March 18, the anniversary of Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region, Interfax reported.

Putin has insisted the amendments should be approved by a nationwide referendum on April 22 to go into effect.

The amendments include establishing a minimum wage and pension allocations based on the cost of living, aspects that could help to convince the populace to vote in favour. (dpa)