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Russia upper house approves presidential term extension amendments

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] Russia's Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, voted 144-1 on Wednesday to approve amendments to the Russian Constitution that would extend presidential terms from four to six years and terms for members of the Duma, or lower house, from four to five years. The Duma passed the amendments last week, after expediting their consideration. The amendments must now be supported by two-thirds of regional parliaments before they take effect. RIA Novosti has local coverage. Critics fear that the term extensions are designed to orchestrate a longer third term for former president and current prime minister Vladimir Putin should current president Dmitri Medvedev step aside. Medvedev proposed the changes in his first state of the nation address to the Federal Council earlier this month. These would be the first amendments to the Russian constitution since it replaced its Soviet-era predecessor in 1993.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on November 26, 2008 (boomark / email).