Russian parliament tables proposal to allow Putin run again in 2024 Presidential elections

RT
Tue, 10 Mar 2020 11:17 UTC

© Reuters / Evgenia Novozhenina

Proceedings in Russia's State Duma have been temporarily suspended and President Vladimir Putin is set to make an address this afternoon. It comes after a suggestion that Presidential term limits could be re-set.

The idea was floated by Valentina Tereshkova, an MP from the ruling 'United Russia' party, who is also famous for being the first woman in space. She wants to give the incumbent head of state a chance to compete in the 2024 Presidential election.

Under existing rules, Putin must stand aside after the current mandate, his fourth, ends. However, putative constitutional changes currently being discussed would limit future Presidents to only two terms. Tereshkova wants to start the clock again, making Putin eligible for two more runs before he would be bound by the new restrictions.

In her speech, she said in the situation Russia now faces [economically and politically] there are "unpredictable risks" meaning "reliable insurance" is needed.

"This insurance, I am 100% sure, is from strong Presidential power and the moral authority of the person who holds the post," Tereshkova explained. "The question is not really about him [Putin], it is about us, the citizens of Russia, and its future... why make any artificial structures? Everything must be honest and transparent."

Her speech was met with applause. The head of the United Russia parliamentary party, Sergei Neverov, said it would support such an amendment. Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Volodin, the house speaker, said the initiative required consultation with the president himself and leaders of all Duma parties.

Comment: Putin later responded to this proposal by stating:

The Russian president says a suggestion by MPs that would see presidential terms reset, thus allowing him to run again in 2024, would be acceptable should it be supported by citizens and approved by the Constitutional Court.

"I believe and am deeply convinced that a strong presidential power is absolutely necessary for our country," Putin stated in his address to the State Duma. However, the public should have guarantees that elections - including presidential elections - are competitive and there is also "an alternative."

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Aside from that, Tereshkova suggested that Putin's tenure be reset, making Putin eligible for two more runs before he would be subject to the new restrictions.

While respecting the two-term limitation, the proposal still enables a person who has served and (or) serves as president of Russia at the time this amendment entered into force "to participate as a candidate in the [next] presidential election."

Touching on that, Putin said accepting such an initiative is an option - but under certain conditions. It could become real "only if citizens support such a proposal" in the upcoming national vote on April 22, the president opined.

You and I are accepting amendments to the Constitution not for a year, not for two, and not for ten, but for at least 30 or 50 years. And society should have guarantees that they will be provided with a regular change of power.

Then, Russia's Constitutional Court would give an official conclusion that such an amendment will not run contrary to "the principles and fundamental provisions of the basic law." Finishing, Putin said he is confident that presidential power will eventually become less personified, it will not be "associated with any specific person."

Volodin told journalists that Putin himself will come to the parliament after 3pm Moscow time to address deputies.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party, the largest opposition grouping in the Duma, announced it will not back the nullification of presidential terms. MP Alexander Yushchenko told Moscow news agency Interfax that the party has consistently rejected such a measure.

Comment: As for the other issues Putin had proposed, Russia's Parliament had responded favorably:

Russian MPs have voted in favor of a bill to amend the country's Constitution. The changes include broadening the powers of parliament as well as limiting the number of lifetime presidential terms for one person.

The bill was supported by 382 deputies during the second and main reading on Tuesday. 44 MPs abstained from the vote, mostly members of the opposition Communist party.

Russians will head to the polls to vote on the proposed constitutional changes on April 22. Amendments to the country's' principal law, among other things, include redistributing some powers away from the president to the Duma, restricting the president to two overall terms, banning officials from having foreign citizenship and setting the minimum wage above the basic cost of living.

During his speech in the parliament's lower house (Duma), Putin pointed out that this was "long overdue."

The changes are aimed at strengthening the country's sovereignty and traditions, while creating the conditions for "for steady, positive, evolutionary development of Russia in the long-term historical perspective."

President Putin also rejected an initiative for early elections which was a point of contention among some MPs:

Vladimir Putin said he saw no need to hold snap parliamentary elections after the adoption of proposed amendments to Russia's Constitution. The idea had been floated on Tuesday in the lower house of the Russian parliament.

If there's a lack of consensus on the issue among MPs and "there's no such unity as the chairman [of the Parliament Vyacheslav Volodin] told me than I don't see any need for an early election to the State Duma," Putin said in an address parliament on Tuesday.

The proposed amendments to the Constitution will transfer some of the presidential powers to the parliament, thus raising the question: "Does this State Duma in its current composition have the right to take on those new responsibilities?" he said.

But if the people, who go to the polls on April 22, back those amendments then they'll confirm the Duma's new authority.

The people are the only source of power and if they say so the issue will be off the table.

MP Alexander Karelin, from the ruling United Russia party, who came up with the idea of a snap election, removed his motion from consideration by the Duma after Putin's address.

Earlier on Tuesday, the three-time Olympic wrestling champion argued that "it would be only fair" to hold a new vote as the president is looking to increase the role of the parties in ruling the country.

State Duma veteran Vladimir Zhirinovky of the Liberal Democratic Party, who was initially supportive of Karelin's proposal, joked that Putin's words became a huge relief for some of his colleagues who were "close to a heart attack" due to the possibility of an early election.

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