Kremlin Planning Referendum to Make Putin President for Life, Establish a State Ideology and Do Away with Non-Russian Republics, Solovey Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, July 16 – The Kremlin is preparing a referendum to amend the Russian Constitution in order to do make Vladimir Putin president for life, establish a state ideology, and do away with the non-Russian republics, Valery Solovey, an MGIMO professor and well-connected Moscow commentator says.

            Such a referendum would be necessary because the constitution currently limits the president to two successive terms in office, bans having a state ideology, and lists by name the non-Russian republics. If the referendum passed – and the Kremlin would make sure of that – it would constitute the most radical revision of Russian rule since 1991.

            Solovey reported this on his Twitter account, and his claim has been taken up by other Russian media outlets, although at present there is no confirmation that what he is saying is anything more than a rumor reflecting the long-established preferences of the Putin regime (rusmonitor.com/kreml-gotovit-vserossijjskijj-referendum-dlya-izmeneniya-konstitucii-socseti.html andbusiness-gazeta.ru/news/372881).