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V.Putin – until 2036
The amendments will pave the way for Putin to come to power for another 12 years, as it allows the current or former president to run for office, regardless of how many terms he has served in the past.
Putin, who has been president or prime minister since 1999, will end his second consecutive term (fourth overall) in 2024. The 67-year-old Kremlin leader has not ruled out running for president again. Consequently, Putin could be in power for two more terms, until 2036.
VIDEO: Vladimir Putin is a KGB agent who has become the most powerful man in Russia
The supremacy of national law
According to the amendments, Russian laws will be given priority over international treaties and other agreements.
According to experts, this applies to the main European human rights courts, where Russia remains the leader in terms of the number of cases filed. He has been fined millions of euros for violating citizens’ rights.
Russia has not listened to calls from the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe to remove or amend this amendment.
Gay marriage ban
The new Constitution will name marriage as a union between a woman and a man, thus avoiding gay marriages.
Putin, who portrays himself as an advocate of traditional values, said in a fight that Russia would not legalize same-sex marriages until he became president.
In Russia, homosexuality was criminalized until 1993, until 1999 it was considered a mental illness. In 2013, Putin signed a law that penalizes “public promotion of homosexuality”.
The referendum was preceded by online ads depicting Russia’s dystopian future, where gay couples can adopt.
VIDEO: Advertising before the referendum in Russia
Faith in God
Amendments to the Constitution will enshrine “faith in God”. Most Russians identify as Orthodox Christians, but Russia is officially a secular state, home to Muslims, Buddhists, and other believers, according to the Moscow Times.
No transfer of territories.
The amendments also prohibit the transfer of Russian territories to other countries. Observers attribute this to Crimea, which Russia separated from Ukraine and occupied in 2014. As a result, Russia has received international sanctions that have damaged the economy.
Economic reforms
Among the amendments are financial guarantees, including promises to adjust pensions for inflation, a guaranteed minimum wage.
What do the official results show?
The published results show the highest voter confidence in Putin in the past ten years. During the 2018 presidential election, Putin was re-elected after receiving 76.7 percent. votes, and in 2012 it received the support of 63.6 percent of voters.
But critics of the Kremlin said the figures themselves show that the vote was rigged as the country was deeply disappointed with the government for its deteriorating quality of life and response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Photo from TASS / Referendum in Russia
Opponent Alexei Navaln commented on the results on Twitter about a “counterfeit vote record” that has nothing to do with people’s opinions.
A poll conducted in May by the independent sociological research institute Levada Centr showed that 59 percent support Putin. Respondents This rate was the worst in two decades.
The week-long plebiscite was overshadowed by reports of electoral pressure and other abuses. Independent observers criticized the voting procedure as extremely non-transparent and highlighted the lack of independent oversight.
In Russia, the vote was held for the first time for a full seven days to ensure greater participation and to avoid a large voter concentration in the current coronavirus pandemic. Critics of the Kremlin say it provided additional opportunities to manipulate the results, as the ballot boxes were left unattended at night.
Observers also noted pressure from the administration of public institutions and private employers on their employees to go to the polls. In addition, observers faced bureaucratic hurdles due to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 epidemic and also expressed doubts about the legal status of early voting.
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