WORLD> Europe
Russian MPs back bill on president's tenure
(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-11-20 07:51

Russian lawmakers Wednesday approved the second reading of a bill extending the presidential term from four to six years, a move some observers say could pave the way for Vladimir Putin's return to the office.

The State Duma voted 351-57 to quickly pass the bill, which was proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev, in the second of three required readings. Only the Communists voted against it.

The final reading in the Duma is set for tomorrow, after which the bill will go to the upper house.

Yesterday's second reading of the bill provoked loud disputes in the usually sedate lower house.

A Communist lawmaker has proposed an amendment limiting presidents to just one term, while pro-Kremlin nationalist party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky offered to extend the presidential term to seven years instead of six.

Both amendments were ignored by the head of the constitutional affairs committee, Vladimir Pligin of the main Kremlin-directed United Russia party, who argued that the current law doesn't allow individual lawmakers to offer changes in the constitution.

Pligin's statement drew an angry response from Zhirinovsky who accused United Russia of "muzzling the opposition." Zhirinovsky said his faction abstained from voting in protest.

The widely popular Putin, now prime minister, was barred constitutionally from seeking a third consecutive term as president in elections this year. His successor Medvedev resoundingly won the post in March.

If enacted, the change would not apply to Medvedev's current term, due to end in 2012.

Agencies

(China Daily 11/20/2008 page12)