- Title: Russians protest against constitutional changes that could extend Putin's rule
- Date: 1st July 2020
- Summary: WOMAN WITH PHOTOGRAPH STANDING NEXT TO PUSHKIN MONUMENT, POLICE WATCHING WOMAN SAYING (Russian): "PRESIDENTIAL TERM IS FOUR YEARS", POLICEMAN LEAVING SAYING (Russian): "I HAVE NO WORDS" MEDIA PHOTOGRAPHING GENERAL VIEW OF PEOPLE NEAR MONUMENT
- Embargoed: 15th July 2020 19:24
- Keywords: Russian Consitution Russian president Vladimir Putin protest vote
- Location: MOSCOW AND ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- City: MOSCOW AND ST PETERSBURG, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA003CKZ9XDZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Russians gathered in St Petersburg and Moscow on Wednesday (July 1) to protest changes to the Russian Constitution that could extend Putin's rule.
More than 73% of Russian voters have backed the reforms, electoral data showed after counting of more than a quarter of votes.
The results indicate that Putin who has ruled Russia for more than two decades as president or prime minister will win the right to run for two more terms and could remain president for 16 more years.
The President has said he has yet to decide on his future. Critics say they are sure he will run again, but some analysts say he may want to keep his options open to avoid becoming a lame duck.
Golos, a non-governmental organization that monitors elections, has said it will not be able to confirm the outcome of the vote as legitimate.
Ella Pamfilova, head of Russia's Central Election Commission, said on Wednesday that no serious violations in the voting process had occurred.
(Production: Anastasia Adasheva, Dmitry Vasilyev) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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