Putin’s Perplexing Political Plan
Putin, President of Russia, proposes constitutional reform just before mass resignation in parliament
At the Novo Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Russia, Vadimir Putin disucsses constitutional reform. Many are concerned that he wants to extend his rule over Russia while the plans seem to give more power to parliament (Photo curtesy of Kremlin Pool Photo via AP).
On Jan. 15, Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, proposed a series of constitutional reforms that would fundamentally alter the balance of power in Russia. Putin is proposing that the parliament be given the power to approve prime minister as well as cabinet members that the president will not be able to reject. This announcement was met with a mass resignation, as the entirety of Russia’s parliament quit, including Prime Minister Dmitry Mendedev; Mikhail Mishustin, a tax chief, has been proposed as his replacement.
As U.S. citizens, this may not seem like a large deal, however, a shift in power dynamics this large could prove problematic for the United States. In addition, he has tried to extend his time in office before, even swapping places with the Prime Minister in 2008 to avoid the law prohibiting two consecutive presidential terms. Putin currently serves as President of Russia until 2024.
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