Putin close to goal of being able to rule until 2036
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin is a step away from completing his main political project of the year: constitutional changes that would allow him to extend his rule until 2036.
A nationwide plebiscite on the amendments that would reset the clock on Putin’s tenure and enable him to serve two more six-year terms is set to wrap up Wednesday after a week of early balloting. For the first time in Russia, polls were open for a week to help reduce crowds and to bolster turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Putin is all but guaranteed to get the result he wants following a massive campaign to get Russia’s voters to say “yes” to the changes.
Gleb Pavlovsky, a political analyst and former Kremlin political consultant, said Putin’s unrelenting push for holding the vote despite coronavirus infection levels remaining high reflects the Russian leader’s potential vulnerabilities.
“Putin lacks confidence in his inner circle and he’s worried about the future,” Pavlovsky said. “He wants an irrefutable proof of public support.”
The balloting completes a convoluted saga of concealment, deception and surprise that began in January when Putin proposed the constitutional changes in a state-of-the-nation address. He offered to broaden parliament’s powers and redistribute authority among the branches of the government, stoking speculation he might continue calling the shots as parliament speaker or as chairman of the State Council when his presidential term ends in 2024.
The amendments, which also emphasize the priority of Russian law over international norms, outlaw same-sex marriages and mention “a belief in God” as a core value, quickly sailed through the Kremlin-controlled parliament.