Reshuffle in Russian government following announcement of constitutional change

Author Details
Author (Corporate)
Publication Date 2020
Content Type

Summary:

Reports and analyses relating to proposed constitutional amendments put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin in early 2020, followed by the resignation of the country's government including the Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev.

Further information:

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on 15 January 2020 - during his State of the Nation address - a set of proposals to amend the country's Constitution when it comes to the powers and mandates of the power structure in Russia, including the his own office. The amendments include the limitation of two terms in office for any future President, tightening residency requirements for presidential candidates, and letting Parliament choose candidates for Prime Minister and the cabinet - effectively weakening the presidential office. Mr Putin stated these amendments were a significant change to the country's Constitution, and suggested holding a nationwide referendum on the changes.

Soon after Mr Putin's statements, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev handed in the cabinet's full resignation and announced he would not stand again to lead the government. He was later appointed as the deputy chairman of Russian's Security Council. Media sources reported that the cabinet was left in the dark over Mr Putin's proposed amendments. Mikhail Mishustin - the Head of the Federal Tax Service - was later put forward as the proposed new Prime Minister.

Mr Putin allowed himself to be "persuaded" by deputies of his parliament, the State Duma, that a total reset of the count of presidential terms (he is currently serving his fourth — until 2024) would be good for Russia's stability. This means that he can be reelected for another two terms and stay in the Kremlin until he turns 84 in 2036. The proposal was made by the world's first female cosmonaut, Valentina Tereshkova, a person universally respected by Russians.

Russia's lower house of parliament approved a range of amendments to the constitution on Wednesday, including a law that allows President Vladimir Putin to seek reelection after his current term ends in 2024.

House Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin told reporters that 383 lawmakers voted in favor, 43 abstained, and none voted against. Putin's party dominates  the Duma.

 

Related Links
Commentary and Analysis
BBC News, 15/01/2020: What is Russia's Putin up to? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51120167
Deutsche Welle, 15/01/2020: Putin sets out path to power beyond 2024 https://p.dw.com/p/3WGEd
Foreign Policy, 15/01/2020: Did Putin Just Extend His Rule? https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/15/vladimir-putin-extend-power-constitutional-change-dmitry-medvedev-russia/
OSW: Analyses, 15/01/2020: Putin’s address and the government’s resignation: the start of the succession process in Russia https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2020-01-15/putins-address-and-governments-resignation-start-succession-process
Politico, 15/01/2020: How Putin plans to stay on https://www.politico.eu/article/how-vladimir-putin-russia-plans-to-stay-on/
Human Rights Watch: Dispatches, 16/01/2020: Why Legal ‘Innovation’ Might be Bad News for Rights in Russia https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/16/why-legal-innovation-might-be-bad-news-rights-russia
France24, 16/01/2020: Mikhail Mishustin: the unknown tax chief surprisingly promoted to Russian PM by Putin https://www.france24.com/en/20200116-russia-putin-mishustin-mikhail-pm-prime-minister-duma-medvedev-tax
Chatham House: Expert Comment, 16/01/2020: What Putin's Constitutional Shakeup Means https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/what-putins-constitutional-shakeup-means
New Statesman, 16/01/2020: Why did the entire Russian government just resign? https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2020/01/why-did-entire-russian-government-just-resign
BBC News, 16/01/2020: What Putin's plans mean for Russia https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51143639
The Guardian: Editorial, 16/01/2020: The Guardian view on Putin and power: he’s not going anywhere https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jan/16/the-guardian-view-on-putin-and-power-hes-not-going-anywhere
Council on Foreign Relations: In Brief, 16/01/2020: What to Expect From Putin’s Shake-Up https://www.cfr.org/in-brief/what-expect-putins-shake
Deutsche Welle, 16/01/2020: Who is Mikhail Mishustin — Russia's next prime minister? https://p.dw.com/p/3WH6i
The Moscow Times, 16/01/2020: What Changes Is Putin Planning for Russia’s Constitution? https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/01/16/what-changes-is-putin-planning-for-russias-constitution-a68928
Foreign Policy, 16/01/2020: Who Is Russia’s New Prime Minister? https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/16/who-is-russias-new-prime-minister-mikhail-mishustin/
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 16/01/2020: Planning for a (Not-So) Post-Putin Russia https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80813
Bloomberg, 17/01/2020: Putin the Puppet Master Shows He Retains the Power to Shock https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-01-17/putin-the-puppet-master-shows-he-still-has-the-power-to-shock
The Conversation, 17/01/2020: Russia’s constitutional changes are designed to perpetuate power of Vladimir Putin’s elite https://theconversation.com/russias-constitutional-changes-are-designed-to-perpetuate-power-of-vladimir-putins-elite-130096
Foreign Policy, 17/01/2020: Putin Is Planning a Partial Retirement https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/17/putin-planning-partial-retirement-russia-whats-next/
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 17/01/2020: Did Putin Just Appoint Himself President for Life? https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80826
OSW: Analyses, 17/01/2020: Mikhail Mishustin, Russia’s new Prime Minister https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2020-01-17/mikhail-mishustin-russias-new-prime-minister
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 20/01/2020: Russia Prepares for New Tandemocracy https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80838
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 21/01/2020: Enter Mishustin: The New Russian Prime Minister’s Agenda https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80846
The Conversation, 22/01/2020: Vladimir Putin has grown into a Russian hero – so where does he go from here? https://theconversation.com/vladimir-putin-has-grown-into-a-russian-hero-so-where-does-he-go-from-here-130092
OSW: Analyses, 22/01/2020: Russia’s new government: managers of a transitional period? https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/analyses/2020-01-22/russias-new-government-managers-a-transitional-period
The Independent, 23/01/2020: Is Putin in a hurry to leave? Russian parliament rushes through constitutional shake-up https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-putin-government-parliament-constitution-votes-a9299071.html
Deutsche Welle, 23/01/2020: Putin's bespoke government — made for indefinite control https://p.dw.com/p/3Wh0y
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 23/01/2020: Russia’s New Government Is Its Least Political Yet https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80871
Politico, 29/01/2020: Who will replace Putin? https://www.politico.eu/article/who-will-replace-valdimir-putin-russia-kremlin/
Carnegie Moscow Center: Commentary, 30/01/2020: Why Aren’t Russians Protesting Putin’s Reforms? https://carnegie.ru/commentary/80931
EPRS: At a Glance, 07/02/2020: Constitutional and political change in Russia https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)646168
Spiegel Online International, 20/02/2020: How Russia’s President Is Preparing His Own Succession https://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/how-russia-s-president-is-preparing-his-own-succession-a-437a6718-aa0c-4760-a548-4735b8a844e9
Deutsche Welle, 10/03/2020: Opinion: Putin's Pushkin-like play to lead Russia till 2036 https://p.dw.com/p/3ZBLK

News
Sputnik News: Topics: Russian Government Reshuffle 2020 https://sputniknews.com/trend/russian_government_reshuffle_2020/
BBC News, 15/01/2020: Russian government resigns as Vladimir Putin plans future https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51120166
The Guardian, 15/01/2020: Russian government quits as Putin plans to stay in power past 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/15/putin-calls-for-constitution-changes-that-would-weaken-successor
France24, 15/01/2020: Duma to review Putin PM appointee Mishustin on heels of Medvedev's resignation https://www.france24.com/en/20200115-russian-pm-dmitry-medvedev-submits-resignation-to-president-vladimir-putin
Deutsche Welle, 15/01/2020: Russia: Putin proposes more powers for parliament https://p.dw.com/p/3WEH1
EurActiv, 15/01/2020: Russian prime minister and government resign after Putin speech https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/russian-prime-minister-and-government-resign-after-putin-speech/
RFE/RL, 15/01/2020: Putin Nominates Ex-Tax Chief Mikhail Mishustin As New Russian Prime Minister https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-government-resigning-medvedev-putin/30378991.html
Politico, 15/01/2020: Russian government resigns after Putin proposes constitutional shake-up https://www.politico.eu/article/russian-government-resigns-after-putin-proposes-constitutional-shake-up-vladimir-putin/
The Guardian, 16/01/2020: Putin's ministers were not told of resignation plans in advance https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/16/putin-ministers-were-not-told-of-resignation-plans-in-advance
EurActiv, 16/01/2020: Russia’s ruling party approves Putin’s pick Mishustin for new PM https://www.euractiv.com/section/global-europe/news/russias-ruling-party-approves-putins-pick-mishustin-for-new-pm/
RFE/RL, 16/01/2020: With Sweeping Constitutional Changes, Analysts Say Putin Eyeing New Role At Russia's Helm https://www.rferl.org/a/with-sweeping-constitutional-changes-analysts-say-putin-eyeing-new-role-at-russia-s-helm/30381533.html
Deutsche Welle, 16/01/2020: Russian parliament approves Mikhail Mishustin as new prime minister https://p.dw.com/p/3WGvh
Deutsche Welle, 21/01/2020: Russia: Putin announces new Cabinet after prime minister resigns https://p.dw.com/p/3WcLy
Deutsche Welle, 23/01/2020: Russian parliament fast-tracks Putin's constitutional changes https://p.dw.com/p/3WdDp
Reuters, 23/01/2020: Putin's political shake-up backed by Russian parliament in initial vote https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN1ZM14U
Associated Press, 13/02/2020: Ideas for amending Russian Constitution aired for Putin https://apnews.com/f91af396eda47ca47684f7f46ef22028
The Guardian, 10/03/2020: Putin backs proposal allowing him to remain in power in Russia beyond 2024 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/10/vladimir-putin-amendment-power-russia-2024
The Guardian, 10/03/2020: What does the prospect of perpetual Putin mean for Russia's future? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/10/what-does-prospect-perpetual-putin-mean-russia-future
France 24, 10/03/2020: Russia deputies to vote on Putin's constitutional reform https://www.france24.com/en/20200310-russia-deputies-to-vote-on-putin-s-constitutional-reform
Politico, 10/03/2020: Vladimir Putin, president until 2036? https://www.politico.eu/article/vladimir-putin-president-until-2036/
Deutsche Welle, 10/03/2020: Vladimir Putin opens door to stay on as Russia's president https://p.dw.com/p/3Z9V5
Deutsche Welle, 11/03/2020: Russia's Duma passes reforms allowing Putin to seek re-election https://p.dw.com/p/3ZCMg
The Conversation, 11/03/2020: Putin for life? Many Russians may desire leadership change, but don’t see a viable alternative https://theconversation.com/putin-for-life-many-russians-may-desire-leadership-change-but-dont-see-a-viable-alternative-133431

Official
Russian President: Presidential Address to the Federal Assembly, 15 January 2020 http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/62582

Subject Categories
Subject Tags
Countries / Regions
Record URL https://www.europeansources.info/record/?p=520875