Russia turns the page and after almost 30 years archives the post-Soviet Constitution, a symbol of the Boris Yeltsin era. The referendum – wanted by Vladimir Putin to legitimize the changes to the fundamental charter and consolidate its political legacy forever – has reached its final stage. With 100% of ballots scrutinized, the yes to the changes to the Constitution that would allow the Russian president to remain in power until 2036 were 77.92%. This was reported by the Russian news agency Sputnik, citing the Central Electoral Commission (Cec). The turnout, according to the president of the Cec, Ella Pamfilova, was almost 65%.
The accusations of the leader of the opposition Navalny in Putin on the vote that would make him govern until 2036
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To encourage the Russians to go to vote, following a Soviet-style practice, the Municipality of Moscow had launched a program of “prizes” with two million vouchers to give to voters for the purchase of goods and services until the end of 2020 , explaining it as an initiative to “stimulate consumption”. Same thing in other regions, where local governors had offered cars or discounts at restaurants. Numerous reports, as indeed happens in all consultations in Russia, of pressure on employees of the public administration and of the large state holding companies to express themselves for the yes. Opponent Aleksei Navalny had called for a vote boycott and several independent observers had reported violations and fraud, dismissed by the Kremlin as “fake news”.
There were also protests, resulting in police arrests. About 400 people gathered in Pushkin Square, Moscow, shouting “One, two, three, Putin get out!” while on Red Square the police took away eight activists who had laid down on the pavement to draw the figure “2036” with their bodies: the year up to which Putin could remain in the Kremlin.
What are the concrete effects of these amendments to the Constitution? How will Putin’s power change?
The most important novelty of the reform – already approved by Parliament – is the trick that restarts the counting of the positions of the head of the state from scratch and therefore will allow Putin to circumvent the limit of two consecutive presidential mandates. If he wishes, the current Russian leader will thus be able to stand again for the presidential elections of 2024 (which he is now forbidden) and also for those of 2030. Putin has not yet announced whether or not he will run in the 2024 elections, in any case the way it now seems leveled. In this way, the Russian president will be able to avoid, or at least postpone, a battle between his lieutenants to decide who will go to the Kremlin after him, a fight that could undermine his power. Putin, who is already 67 years old, practically makes sure to keep the reins of the country in his hands: without immediate deadlines, he will decide if and when to leave the presidency, perhaps by designating his own heir.
Initially the reform had been presented as a way to redistribute powers by strengthening Parliament. According to experts, in reality the figure of the president is instead strengthened. The head of state will in fact be able to “direct the general work of the government”, which will thus become a mere executor of the presidential will (which in fact it already is). The president will also continue to appoint the premier, with the news that his candidate will be able to impose without having to call new parliamentary elections if the Duma says “no” three times to the person chosen by the Kremlin to lead the government. The president also increases his control over the executive: he will in fact be able to replace the premier more easily, while the ministers will respond personally to the head of state. The president may also relieve the judges of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court from their positions. Finally, the Kremlin equips itself with an antidote against the uncomfortable judgments of international courts – including the European Court of Human Rights – by providing that international law will not apply if the Constitutional Court deems it contrary to Russian law. . But the Council of State is also strengthened, which will be able to indicate “the direction of domestic and foreign policy and socio-economic priorities”. For this reason, it cannot be entirely excluded that Putin will lead this institution in the future.
Then there are the amendments that introduce the conservative principles so dear to Putin into the fundamental law of the state. Marriage will be defined by the Constitution as “a union between a man and a woman” and in this way the ban on gay marriage will be strengthened. The Constitution also mentions “faith in God”, satisfying the Russian Orthodox Church, a powerful ally of the Kremlin. An amendment prohibits the transfer of parts of the national territory, thus excluding that Moscow could return Crimea to Ukraine, which Russia annexed in 2014 with a military invasion and a controversial referendum. And then to preserve “the historical truth” about the Second World War, or the history seen from the Kremlin, the contribution of the USSR in the fight against Nazism cannot be diminished.
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