Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has submitted to Parliament a package of constitutional amendments widely seen as an attempt to secure his grip on power well after his current term ends in 2024. Mr Putin first presented the proposed changes in his state-of-the-nation address on Wednesday, arguing they are intended to bolster the role of Parliament and strengthen democracy. Russian President Vladimir Putin (Mikhail Klimentyev/AP)Another suggested amendment says that top government officials are not allowed to have foreign citizenship or residence permits. Parallel to politicians, a working group created by Mr Putin will also consider the proposed changes before they are put to the vote. Mr Putin said that the constitutional changes need to be approved by the entire nation, but it was not immediately clear how such a vote would be organised.

Source: Irish Examiner January 20, 2020 15:45 UTC