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Putin approves changes allowing him to stay in power until 2036

41 Comments
By Andrew Osborn and Tom Balmforth

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Burning BushToday 07:06 am JST

A necessary move, as sanctions against Russia prove that the West wants to harm the Russian people and they need to stand united to defend themselves.

And they can't do that under another leader?

11 ( +13 / -2 )

For once I can see Trump reading the fine print (on this deal).  He has already suggested that the US take a look at China and their president for life type set up.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

once the country became politically"mature".

Not sure what that means. Politically mature = ready for democracy? Russia's a nation that for centuries has been led by a tsar/tsarina and/or Stalin/Putin type leader. Because Russians have had so few opportunities to determine who their leaders should be and what system of governance is best, who knows whether that's what the majority of people want. What those in the 'west' who prefer to maintain the remaining bits of their nation's respective democracies should be concerned about is Russia's ongoing involvements in cyberwarfare tactics intended to sow discord among their populations and weaken their nations. The Russia Federation's expansion of its Eurasian Economic Union using their oil, gas and coal as leverage should be another reason for nations to wean themselves from the fossil economy. 'Little old Russia' has a nuclear arsenal equal to, perhaps greater than America's.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

A necessary move, as sanctions against Russia prove that the West wants to harm the Russian people and they need to stand united to defend themselves.

That might be the talking point at the Russian troll farm, but democracy left Russia today...

7 ( +13 / -6 )

Putin , Xi, leaders for life......

Some countries are in regression.....

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Don't like him, apply for Russian citizenship and then vote against him.

ROFL, does anyone do that anymore????

Apply for Russian citizenship!!!!!!!

5 ( +10 / -5 )

There will still be an election. The Russian people will choose, this new rule broadens their choices.

That's a fair point. Any democracy where voters are not allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice (ie. because they've already served a few terms) is, by definition, a limited democracy.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

Putin should just amend the constitution to allow him to serve until he’s dead, make it easy, stop pretending, be upfront and honest with the Russian people, end all all elections and declare yourself Czar for life.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

You don't have the votes to make Trump President for a third term. 

Err, Donny doesn’t have the votes for a second term.

Next year Donny will be in Russia and declare himself President in Exile!!!

2 ( +6 / -4 )

That's a fair point. Any democracy where voters are not allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice (ie. because they've already served a few terms) is, by definition, a limited democracy.

Well, you're right in an idealistic world. But just as Communism looks great on paper, but fails when actually enacted, the longer one is president, the more they can gear the system towards keeping them president. And this is harmful to a democracy. It fails for the same reason that communism does - human fallibility and the corruption of power.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

How does an ex-KGB go from zero to top wealth.

As you know fully well, many ways. Start with what happens when an authoritarian has eliminated checks on his powers. Then look up Yukos Oil. etc etc etc

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Putin is President for Life. What a shocker.

Hope all the Russian bots are proud.

Banana Republic.

Headline needs: 'Putin's Regime Votes For Putin To Stay In Power Forever'.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

@Strangerland

Term limits are also the best way to ensure that lobbyists and monied interests can subvert democracy by getting a fresh bite at the apple of power every few years. It allows them to set aside all popular presidents who might have enough personal wealth and institutional support to be virtually uncorruptable and replace him/her with a well funded puppet. The Heritage Foundation is in favour of congressional term limits in the US. Why do you think the idea appeals to them?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Russian people will decide

Putin will decide. The Russian people are irrelevant.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Russian people will decide

Heh, yeah, because Russian elections aren't rigged right.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I'm shocked! Shocked, I say! Shocked that a dictator would make it "legal" for him to become dictator for life!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

a rewriting of the constitution in the interests of the ruling elite. 

Serving the interests of the ruling elite is typical of states with huge reserves of oil and gas. Saudi Arabia, Iran, the UAE, Kuwait, Brunei, Venezuela, like Russia, are states where the rulers and their chosen 'elite' live lives of extreme luxury from the trade of oil and gas. They maintain strict control over the people they govern to ensure no disruptions in the supplies of oil and gas. Exactly what the globe's oil and gas corporations, and their financiers, want.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Err, Donny doesn’t have the votes for a second term.

Oh, yes, he most definitely does.

https://news.gallup.com/poll/284156/trump-job-approval-personal-best.aspx

Perfect For going into a second term.

It possible Putin is the richest person in the world with more than $100 billion of wealth. Palaces, yachts, airliners. How does an ex-KGB go from zero to top wealth.

By clipping a lot of rivals and making sure his rival and supporter Oligarchs are happy and as long as that holds up, he’ll have an excellent life with zero challengers.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

"Not sure what that means. Politically mature = ready for democracy?"

Russia actually had a democracy for a while until it withered away. Putin is putting the finishing touches on becoming a legal dictator. It's that simple.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Russia reverting to type as an autocracy.  Has only been a democracy for about a decade or so of its existence as a nation state.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

A necessary move, as sanctions against Russia prove that the West wants to harm the Russian people and they need to stand united to defend themselves.

The delusion in this remark is very strong indeed. What are you smoking?

Oh, smoke from your username

3 ( +3 / -0 )

making sure his rival and supporter Oligarchs are happy

One of those people is Donald J. Trump.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Maybe I'll vote myself a bonus every year until 2035, just for the sake of stability of course.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

One of those people is Donald J. Trump.

Hmmmm.....not according to the FBI, but nice try. Lol

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Russian people will decide, not foreign internet posters.

Oh, the irony.

Putin is a dictator. This news is no surprise. Neither is the support for him from those pesky foreign internet posters.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Another country with a Dictatorship . . . .

1 ( +1 / -0 )

A lot out there.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

The Russian people should be fine as long as they like and support Putin. The problems happen when they decide they want someone new. That's when Putin steps in and says "No."

They'll understand more if they ever reach that point. We'll see.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Even then-Pres. George Washington was offered "President for Life" by people's popularity of him

But at least he had to good sense to turn it down, so he set a good example for the then-experimental nascent democracy in the 18th-Century world dominated by monarchies

A good sign of a mature democracy is the peaceful handover of power

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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