- Title: Putin on changing constitution from 2001 to 2020
- Date: 1st July 2020
- Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FILE - DECEMBER 19, 2019) (RUSSIAN POOL) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN AT ANNUAL NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN PRESIDENT, VLADIMIR PUTIN, SAYING: "It is a living tool, it should correspond to the society development level. But still, in my opinion, we should not adopt a new constitution." PUTIN AT ANNUAL NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 15th July 2020 06:50
- Keywords: Putin Putin's presidential term amendments to constitution constitution changes vote
- Location: MOSCOW AND SOCHI, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW AND SOCHI, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00BCKZ9U87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Vladimir Putin, who has ruled Russia as president or prime minister since 1999, proposed a major change to the Russian constitution in January this year.
Since then, Putin, 67, has spoken out regarding the basic law of the country several times and some of these statements were estimated by his opponents as contradicting themselves.
"A review of the fundamental provisions of the Constitution is tantamount to a review of the foundations of the country's political system, and a revision of its norms dictated by the political situation is a direct path to a crisis of power," he said at Constitution Day's reception in early 2001.
On Wednesday (July 1) Russia holds the last day of a nationwide vote on changes to the constitution proposed by the country's leader.
The bundle of changes, which include many other amendments to the 1993 constitution that was adopted after the break-up of the Soviet Union, are being put to a simple yes-or-no vote.
One of the main reforms would allow Vladimir Putin to run for the presidency again in 2024 and, if re-elected, serve two more consecutive six-year terms in the Kremlin until 2036.
Opponents say the reforms are designed to allow Putin to keep power until 2036 and amount to a constitutional coup.
The Kremlin says they are needed to strengthen the role of parliament and improve social policy and public administration.
Putin is due now to step down at the end of his current stint, which is his second consecutive term and fourth overall since he came to power more than two decades ago.
(Production: Anastasia Adasheva) - Copyright Holder: POOL (CAN SELL)
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None