In a televised meeting with the Russian president, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said the proposals would make significant changes to the country's balance of power and so "the government in its current form has resigned." "We should provide the president of our country with the possibility to take all the necessary measures" to carry out the changes, Medvedev said. Putin asked Medvedev, his longtime ally, to continue as head of government until a new government has been appointed. Earlier Wednesday Putin proposed a referendum on a package of reforms to Russia's constitution that would strengthen the role of parliament. The changes would include giving parliament the power to choose the prime minister and senior cabinet members, instead of the president as in the current system.

Source: Dhaka Tribune January 15, 2020 14:15 UTC