Medvedev announced plans to rewrite the Constitution again – Russian Service of The Moscow Times

In Russia, there will be an “adjustment” of the Constitution, Deputy Head of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev said on Monday.

The new constitutional reform, according to Medvedev, will not require a complete change in the basic law. However, “spot changes” are not excluded, the deputy head warned at a meeting with schoolchildren on the eve of Constitution Day.

Medvedev did not specify what specific amendments were planned, but emphasized that the constitution is regularly changed by “unfriendly” countries, including the United States. “This is such a fundamental story with amendments. And we approach it in approximately the same way now,” he explained.

According to Medvedev, it would be possible to constantly change the Constitution, taking into account changes in life. “But this needs to be done as carefully as possible,” quotes RBC Deputy Head of the Security Council.

The latest constitutional reform, which the authorities on behalf of State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin also announced as “targeted changes”, took place in Russia in 2020. Then the terms of President Vladimir Putin were “reset”, who, as a result of amendments to the Constitution, will be able to remain in power until 2036 – longer than any of the rulers of Russia since the time of Empress Catherine II.

The Constitution also enshrined the priority of Russian law over international law, introduced a provision for a new body of state power – the State Council, and reduced the powers of the Prime Minister in favor of the President, who also received the right, with the help of the Federation Council, to remove judges from their positions, including the chairman of the Constitutional Court.

For former presidents of the Russian Federation, the opportunity to become “senators for life” was established. In addition, the Constitution enshrined the concept of marriage as “the union of a man and a woman” and state policy to “preserve traditional family values.”

In total, during Putin’s reign, the authorities changed the Constitution three times. In 2008, the term of office of the President was increased from four to six years, and that of the State Duma from four to five years. A norm was also introduced obliging the Russian government to report annually to the State Duma.

In 2014, amendments were made to the Constitution, as a result of which the Supreme Arbitration Court was liquidated, and its powers were transferred to the Supreme Court. At the same time, the President of the Russian Federation received the right, by decree, to directly appoint up to 10% of the members of the Federation Council.