Russia considering constitutional amendments

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 18 Jul 2019 by Alex Teddy

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Vyacheslav Volodin, the Speaker of the Russian Parliament, has proposed amending the constitution to transfer some president prerogatives to the Parliament. Volodin's idea has not yet taken the form of draft legislation. Volodin said that his proposal will enable the state to enact social justice more effectually. This explanation is bogus but he has hit the nail on the head in another way. What people want is better wages, job security and better public services. Constitutional rearrangements do not excite people.President Putin's current term (his fourth) is due to expire in 2024. He is constitutionally disbarred from seeking a fresh mandate. The idea of changing the constitution to allow him another term will not go down well with the public at the moment. Putin is thought to be keen to keep the reins of power even though he will be 72 in 2024. If Parliament gains more power and Putin is elected to Parliament he can still remain mighty despite ridding himself of the onerous presidential duties. He could become prime minister - an office that he filled twice before. There are rumors from Bloomberg that Putin is eyeing options which will enable him to be the power behind the throne even when he steps down as president. The idea of changing the constitution to enhance the competences of Parliament are not new. In 2018 the head of the constitutional court published an article proposing just that.Nazarbayev in Kazakhstan showed one way for a former president to remain top dog. He had a new title invented for himself 'Leader of the Nation'. He remains chairman of the National Security Committee. But as Nazarbayev is no longer president he does not have to perform time con...