Russian Regional Head Proposes 21-Year Reign for Putin

MosNews
Aug. 22, 2005

The head of the Russian internal republic of Mari El, Leonid Markelov, has called for a legislative extension of the presidential term in Russia.

“The head of state in this country should be able to be elected not twice in a row but three times, and an individual presidential term should not be limited to four years but to at least five and a maximum of seven years,” Interfax news agency quoted Markelov as saying.

The president of Mari El proposed a change to the Russian constitution. “Of course, the Russian president has clearly defined his position on the constitution, but there is such a thing as a situation when you have to overcome your own reservations for people’s sake. I can see absolutely no breach of democratic rules if State Duma deputies initiate the tabling of the relevant amendments to the country’s constitution,” he said.

Russia now “has a very serious chance to complete a breakthrough in the economy, because a period of political stability has been ushered in. The majority of business and society have faith in the existing authorities,” Markelov added. In order to preserve stability and growth in the economy as the main elements for increasing the people’s prosperity, “a continuity of power is important,” he said.

“I can see no alternative to incumbent president Vladimir Putin, who is popular among the people. I support the tabling of the relevant amendments to the country’s basic law. These amendments will be interpreted in society as right and proper,” Markelov said.

Last week the governor of Novgorod region said Putin does not need a third term but the term in office itself should be extended from four to seven years.

Lawmakers in different Russian regions have tabled initiatives to allow Putin to run for the third term. For instance, a lawmaker in the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly made a project of a bill on an amendment to the constitution reading that “one and the same person cannot hold the post of the Russian president for more than three consecutive terms.” Currently, it is impossible for a person to be president for more than two terms in a row.

Also, a group of deputies from the local legislature in the Russian Far East region of Primorye drafted amendments to the Constitution that would enable Putin to run for a third term. They said that the effective constitution contained contradictions and should be amended.

In accordance with Article 32 of the Constitution, citizens of the Russian Federation have the right to vote and run for government posts if they are legally capable and are not serving a prison sentence passed by a court of law. However, Article 81, paragraph 3, says that one and the same person cannot hold the post of the Russian president for more than two consecutive terms. In other words, one article does not impose any limitations while another one does, one of the deputies said.

Putin has recently said that he “maybe would like to (run for president in 2008)” but that the Constitution did not permit this.

Putin’s second term expires in March 2008.