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Putin suggests altering constitution to limit presidential term | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin triggered a flurry of speculation Thursday when he raised the possibility of a constitutional change on presidential term limits, barring any individual from serving more than two terms. | |
But what did Putin, who has effectively reigned since 2000, mean by his remarks in his annual marathon news conference? observers wondered. Was it a signal he would not try to seek office when his term expires in 2024? Or did it suggest that he plans to run again, on the grounds of new rules and a new constitution? | |
Although Putin was reelected only last year, speculation has focused on whether Putin plans to leave office or manage a transition designed to preserve his political legacy, for example by maneuvering a reliable successor into power. | |
There seemed little doubt that Putin, choosing his words carefully, intentionally left his true meaning open to interpretation. | |
Putin told 1,895 international and Russian journalists that it was possible there would be a move to change the constitution to bar anyone from serving as president more than two terms, dropping the present provision that limits people from serving more than two terms “consecutively.” | |
On one reading, this would prevent him from ever running again — unless he used the pretext of a new constitution and new rules to do so. | |
Many nations — including China, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Bolivia, Rwanda and others — have scrapped or altered presidential term limits. Burundi’s president, Pierre Nkurunziza, used the pretext of a new constitution to run for a third term, provoking furious protests and violence. | |
Putin served two terms from 2000 to 2008, when he swapped places with his prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who served one term. Medvedev was widely seen as a caretaker, enabling Putin to retain power behind the scenes. Then Putin took office again in 2012 and was reelected last year. Under the present constitution, he cannot seek office again. | |
During the news conference, where many journalists shouted and waved signs in a bid to be chosen to ask questions, Putin complained that Russia was being treated unfairly — whether by U.S. legislators who have voted to impose sanctions on companies building a Russian gas pipeline to Germany, or by sporting authorities that have banned Russian athletes from international competitions. | |
Putin also said the impeachment case against President Trump was a fabricated political effort by the Democrats to remove him from power — but he predicted it would fail because of the Republican Senate majority. | |
Trump meets Russia’s top diplomat amid scrap over election interference | |
“It’s unlikely they will want to remove from power a representative of their party based on what are, in my opinion, completely fabricated reasons,” said Putin. “This is simply a continuation of the intra-political battle where one party that lost an election, the Democratic Party, is trying to achieve results using other methods and means.” | |
He said the Democrats first accused Trump of colluding with Russia during the 2016 election campaign, when he denied there was any conspiracy. Then, he asserted, the Democrats dreamed up the idea that pressure had been exerted on Ukraine. | |
Putin warned that if the United States did not endorse a new strategic arms limitation treaty, the world would be plunged into a new arms race. | |
Putin’s annual news conference, as usual, covered a sprawling range of topics from airfare prices for flights from the far east of the country to Moscow, garbage disposal, health care and climate change. He said he welcomed all questions, critical or not. | |
“I always welcome criticism. It always keeps us on our feet and provides food for thought. It makes us think twice about issues raised,” he said. | |
Putin attacked a decision by the World Anti-Doping Agency to ban Russian athletes from major international competitions for four years, describing it as an anti-competitive move designed to shut out Russian stars. | |
“It’s not fair. It doesn’t make sense and it runs counter to international law,” Putin complained, adding that any punishment should be directed against individuals, not the nation’s athletes. “If the vast majority of our athletes are clean, how can you slap a ban on them?” | “It’s not fair. It doesn’t make sense and it runs counter to international law,” Putin complained, adding that any punishment should be directed against individuals, not the nation’s athletes. “If the vast majority of our athletes are clean, how can you slap a ban on them?” |
He said Russia’s figures skaters were geniuses and that the measure seemed directed to prevent them from winning. | |
“It’s an attempt to get rid of competition,” he said. “Yes, you can do it. Will it help world sport? No.” | “It’s an attempt to get rid of competition,” he said. “Yes, you can do it. Will it help world sport? No.” |
Russia calls Olympics ban ‘anti-Russia hysteria’ and politically motivated | Russia calls Olympics ban ‘anti-Russia hysteria’ and politically motivated |
The annual news conference has been a Putin tradition every year of his presidency, closely watched as a barometer for Russian foreign and economic policy. | The annual news conference has been a Putin tradition every year of his presidency, closely watched as a barometer for Russian foreign and economic policy. |
However, Putin does appear at other news conferences during the year — his last such appearance came last week in Paris after talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and with the French and German leaders, aimed at reviving a stalled peace deal in eastern Ukraine. | |
This year’s news conference came amid souring U.S.-Russia relations, with Trump likely to sign a bill soon containing sanctions designed to block an important Russian gas pipeline to Germany. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is advancing a separate bill this week that would impose tough new sanctions on Russia over its 2016 election interference, aggression against Ukraine and other actions. | |
Putin’s domestic approval rating remains high — around 68 percent in July, according to the Levada Center polling organization — but it has been gradually declining. Russia’s flat economy — with growth at around 1.2 percent, the World Bank reported — has fueled domestic discontent, along with unpopular moves last year to raise the retirement age and increase value-added taxes. | |
Russia’s economy may be unimpressive, but Putin has amplified Russia’s global influence this past year, homing in on areas where U.S. influence has waned. Russia moved swiftly to fill a vacuum left by the withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria. Putin fostered warm relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid the bitter U.S.-China trade war and has reached out to African leaders, hosting an October summit attended by 45 African heads of state and government in Sochi. | |
Putin, Zelensky, Merkel join Macron in Paris for talks to end Ukraine war | Putin, Zelensky, Merkel join Macron in Paris for talks to end Ukraine war |
The format of Thursday’s event was less a news conference than an opportunity for journalists from far-flung regions, often wearing national costumes, to put forward requests or raise hot issues affecting their regions. | |
One from Bulgaria carried an icon. Another from Mordovia, a region east of Moscow, brought a gift of a local musical instrument, and a journalist from a Moscow suburb, Pavlovsky Posad, known for producing brightly colored shawls, held up a bright pink one depicting the president. A journalist from Crimea, annexed by Russia in 2014, told Russian television she was there to raise the matter of water supplies in the region. | |
The first question was about climate change; Muscovites are confused about the lack of snow in the city, highly unusual for mid-December. Putin said Russia takes the problem of climate change seriously, citing record winter temperatures in Moscow, wildfires in Siberia and the threat of melting permafrost. But he said other nations were mainly to blame for pollution. | |
“Russia is not one of the biggest polluters, according to the U.N.,” Putin said, pointing to the United States, China and the European Union as the main culprits. He said no one knew the reason for increasing temperatures. | |
“If the permafrost starts to melt down, you can think for yourself what the consequences could be,” he said. “We will continue to take action to make sure that we minimize the consequences from these changes.” | |
He also called for more dialogue with local communities about garbage landfills, a hot issue in Russia that has sparked protests in parts of the country. | He also called for more dialogue with local communities about garbage landfills, a hot issue in Russia that has sparked protests in parts of the country. |
Trump welcoming Russia’s top diplomat back to the Oval Office is one of his most brazen moves yet | Trump welcoming Russia’s top diplomat back to the Oval Office is one of his most brazen moves yet |
Russia’s media savors Moscow’s upper hand in Syria | Russia’s media savors Moscow’s upper hand in Syria |
The United States is about to sanction Assad, Russia and Iran for Syrian war crimes | The United States is about to sanction Assad, Russia and Iran for Syrian war crimes |
Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world | Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world |
Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news | Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news |