MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law allowing him to hold power until 2036, a move that formalizes constitutional changes approved in last year’s popular vote.
The July 1 constitutional vote included a provision that reset Putin’s previous terms, allowing him to run for president twice. The amendment was stamped by the Kremlin-controlled legislator and the relevant law signed by Putin was posted on an official legal information portal on Monday.
The 68-year-old Russian president, who has been in power for more than two decades – more than any other Kremlin leader under Soviet dictator Josef Stalin – said he would later decide whether to run again. 2024, when his current six-year term ends.
He claimed that the reset of the counting period was necessary to prevent his lieutenants from “looking for possible successors” instead of normal work “.
The constitutional changes also emphasized the priority of Russian law over international norms, banned same-sex marriage and mentioned “a belief in God” as a core value. Russian lawmakers have methodically amended national legislation, approving relevant laws.