Foreign Policy Research Institute A Nation Must Think Before it Acts Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: Putin ‘Changes’ the Constitution
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: Putin ‘Changes’ the Constitution

Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss: Putin ‘Changes’ the Constitution

Abstract

Vladimir Putin’s March 2020 amendments to the Russian Federation constitution address some of the risks posed by the lack of a formal mechanism for presidential succession by fostering the creation of a smaller ruling coalition with a commensurately keener interest in preserving the current power structure in the country. They also signal to the Russian public and elite that the essential regime, regardless of who is president, will not change when Putin’s current term expires in 2024. At the same time, new constitutional immunities for former presidents will make it safer for a sitting president to retire. The result is greater freedom of maneuver for Putin, who could now more easily step down from the presidency before 2024, remain president beyond 2024, or retire in 2024, either to his dacha or to some position within the political structure where he could continue to exercise power.

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