{"id":12241,"date":"2020-02-06T07:12:29","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T07:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=12241"},"modified":"2020-02-06T01:07:57","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T01:07:57","slug":"current-events-changes-to-the-russian-constitution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/current-events-changes-to-the-russian-constitution\/","title":{"rendered":"Current Events: Changes to the Russian Constitution"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you follow Russian news, you may know that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has suggested changing the Russian constitution. Read on to learn what happened, how you can describe it in Russian, and what the reasons for it might be.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Image by Evgeny GoTown.ru<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

Background<\/h2>\n

The current Russian constitution (\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0301\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/strong>) was adopted in 1993, after proclamations of independence by former Soviet republics, including Russia. The constitution describes the form of government (more detailed information is available on Wikipedia<\/a>). In a nutshell, up until now, the president (\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0442<\/strong>) was supposed to be elected directly by the people for no more than 2 consecutive terms (2 \u0441\u0440\u043e\u0301\u043a\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u044f\u0301\u0434<\/strong>), initially of 4 years each.<\/p>\n

The president appoints (\u043d\u0430\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0430\u0301\u0435\u0442<\/strong>) the government (\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong>), which is headed by the prime minister (\u043f\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044c\u0435\u0301\u0440-\u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0441\u0442\u0440<\/strong>). The upper house (\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0445\u043d\u044f\u044f \u043f\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0301\u0442\u0430<\/strong>) of the Russian Parliament (\u043f\u0430\u0440\u043b\u0430\u0301\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442<\/strong>) is the Federation Council (\u0421\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0442 \u0424\u0435\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0446\u0438\u0438<\/strong>), and the lower house (\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0436\u043d\u044f\u044f \u043f\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0301\u0442\u0430<\/strong>) is the State Duma (\u0413\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0414\u0443\u0301\u043c\u0430<\/strong>). Over the years, parliament election rules have changed many times, so I won’t be covering them or “state”\/local-level authorities in this article.<\/p>\n

Eventually, the presidential term was extended to 5 years, and President Putin was appointed to be Prime Minister after his two first terms, when his ally Dmitry Medvedev (\u0414\u043c\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0439 \u041c\u0435\u0434\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0432<\/strong>) was elected as President. This maneuver was referred to by critics as \u0440\u043e\u043a\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (from the chess term for castling<\/a>). After Medvedev’s only term, Putin ran for office again\u2014and won\u2014but will have to step down in 2024 when his second consecutive term runs out.<\/p>\n

\"books

Image by succo<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

What’s Going To Change?<\/h2>\n

Before the recent changes, there had been some speculation that the constitution may be changed at Putin’s behest so he can stay in power past 2024. In the 2000s, the president repeatedly denied he would ever consider changing the constitution. In the late 2010s, he started saying it was a living document and may need to be updated.<\/p>\n

In his address to the Federal Assembly (\u041f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0424\u0435\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0441\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u044e<\/strong>), i. e. the parliament, this January, Putin unexpectedly proposed amendments (\u043f\u043e\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0432\u043a\u0438<\/strong>) to the constitution that made it sound like he might stay in power in a different capacity rather than remain president past his second term. Here are some of these changes as reported in Meduza<\/em><\/a>:<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0433\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0435\u0301\u0442 \u043c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u0443\u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0432\u0430<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Limit the precedence of international law. In other words, Russian laws will trump any international decisions.]<\/p>\n

\u0413\u043b\u0430\u0432\u0443\u0301 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430, \u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0439 \u0438 \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432 \u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0443\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c \u043f\u0430\u0440\u043b\u0430\u0301\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[The prime minister and other members of the cabinet will be appointed by the parliament.]<\/p>\n

\u0418\u0437\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043e \u0437\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0301\u0442\u0435 \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0438 \u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443\u0301 \u0436\u0435 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u043a\u0443 \u0437\u0430\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0301\u043b\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0442\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0301\u043b\u0435\u0435 \u0434\u0432\u0443\u0445 \u0441\u0440\u043e\u0301\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u044f\u0301\u0434<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Change the wording of the ban on being president for 2 consecutive terms. The proposed limit is 2 terms total.]<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044f\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0446\u0435\u043d\u0437 \u043e\u0441\u0435\u0301\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0442\u0430 \u0420\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0301\u0438 \u0441 10 \u0434\u043e 25 \u043b\u0435\u0442<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Raise the residency requirement for the president from 10 to 25 years. In other words, the person will need to have lived in Russia for 25 years.]<\/p>\n

\u0417\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0438\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0434\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0438 \u0432\u0438\u0434 \u043d\u0430 \u0436\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0437\u0430 \u0440\u0443\u0431\u0435\u0436\u043e\u0301\u043c \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0441\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0439, \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0432 \u0441\u0443\u0431\u044a\u0435\u0301\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0432 \u0424\u0435\u0434\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0446\u0438\u0438, \u0434\u0435\u043f\u0443\u0442\u0430\u0301\u0442\u043e\u0432 \u0438 \u0441\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0301\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432, \u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430 \u0438 \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u0301\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0432<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Prohibit judges, heads of regions, members of parliament, the prime minister, and other ministers from having a foreign citizenship or residence permit.]<\/p>\n

… \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0442 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0301\u043b\u0436\u0435\u043d \u0438\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0432\u0438\u0434 \u043d\u0430 \u0436\u0438\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0438\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0434\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0442\u043e\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u043c\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0442 \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u044f, \u043d\u043e \u0434\u0430\u0301\u0436\u0435 \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0448\u043b\u043e\u043c<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[The president cannot have held foreign citizenship or permanent residence at any point in the past.]<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u0435\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0413\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0442 \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0446\u0438\u043e\u0301\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043e\u0301\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Include the State Council in the constitution. Currently, the State Council is an advisory authority with a vague mandate.]<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c \u0432 \u041a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0301\u0446\u0438\u0438 \u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430\u0301\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0443\u044e \u0438\u043d\u0434\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0430\u0301\u0446\u0438\u044e \u043f\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0441\u0438\u0439 \u0438 \u043d\u043e\u0301\u0440\u043c\u0443 \u043e \u043c\u0438\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0435 \u043e\u043f\u043b\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044b \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0301, \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0432\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043a \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0436\u0438\u0301\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043c\u0438\u0301\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0443\u043c\u0443.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[Document in the constitution a compulsory adjustment of retirement benefits and a minimum wage tethered to the minimum cost of living.]<\/p>\n

\"poverty\"

Image by Frantisek Krejci<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

What’s the Catch?<\/h2>\n

The proposed changes are a mix of “populist” policies aimed at raising the standard of living and changes to the form of government. Some commentators have suggested Putin might stay on not as president but as a member of the updated State Council (\u0413\u043e\u0441\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0301\u0442<\/strong>). Furthermore, the changes will be presented as a single packet, put to a popular vote (\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438\u0301\u0439\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0301\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>), which the government has been careful not to call a referendum (\u0440\u0435\u0444\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0434\u0443\u043c<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

In a recent survey<\/a> (\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0441<\/strong>) by Levada Center, 44 percent of people said the new changes were proposed in the interest of the nation, while 47 said the changes were introduced to let Putin stay in power past 2024. The most popular answer about the role of the constitution, at 30 percent, was that it plays no real role (\u043d\u0435 \u0438\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0435\u0442 \u0440\u043e\u0301\u043b\u0438<\/strong>) because no one pays it any mind. A further 27 percent said it guaranteed the rights and freedoms of citizens (\u0433\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0440\u0443\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0301 \u0438 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0431\u043e\u0301\u0434\u044b \u0433\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0436\u0434\u0430\u043d<\/strong>), while 24 percent said it maintained order in the running of the state (\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0440\u044f\u0301\u0434\u043e\u043a \u0432 \u0434\u0435\u0301\u044f\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

Have you seen or read any coverage of the changes? What do you make of them?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"poverty\"

If you follow Russian news, you may know that the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, has suggested changing the Russian constitution. Read on to learn what happened, how you can describe it in Russian, and what the reasons for it might be. Background The current Russian constitution (\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0301\u0446\u0438\u044f) was adopted in 1993, after proclamations of independence…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":12247,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[178,179],"tags":[8856,541522,57819,10171],"class_list":["post-12241","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history","category-news","tag-constitution","tag-politics","tag-putin","tag-russian-government"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12241","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/113"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12241"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12249,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12241\/revisions\/12249"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12247"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}