Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a document today that will set up a popular vote to approve changes to the Russian constitution which could leave the Russian leader as president for life.
“In conformity with parts 2 and 3 of article 2 of the Russian law on the amendment to the Russian Constitution ‘On improving regulation of certain issues of the organization and functioning of public authority,’ I hereby resolve: To hold the nationwide voting on amendments to the Russian constitution on April 22, 2020; To put to voting the following question: ‘Do you approve the amendments to the Russian constitution?,” the document reads, reported Russian state news agency TASS.
The nationwide voting on the constitutional amendments will take place on April 22 only if the coronavirus situation does not worsen, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday at a meeting with Chairperson of the Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) Ella Pamfilova, the video footage of which was broadcast by the Rossiya-24 television channel.
