Russia Passes Bill Allowing Putin to Stay in Power Past 2024

Russia Passes Bill Allowing Putin to Stay in Power Past 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a session prior to voting for constitutional amendments at the State Duma, the Lower House of the Russian Parliament in Moscow on March 10, 2020. Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP
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MOSCOW—The Russian parliament approved a sweeping constitutional reform in the third and final reading Wednesday, a move that will allow President Vladimir Putin to stay in power for another 12 years after his current term ends in 2024.

The Kremlin-controlled lower house, the State Duma, endorsed a set of amendments to the constitution and a provision resetting the term count for Putin after the revised constitution goes into force. It passed by a 383-0 vote with 43 abstentions.