Putin's constitutional proposals OK'd in State Duma

MOSCOW－Russia's State Duma on Thursday approved constitutional reform legislation submitted by President Vladimir Putin in the first reading.

Putin submitted the amendments to the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, on Monday, after presenting them in the annual state-of-the-nation address last week.

He suggested that lawmakers could name prime ministers and Cabinet members, proposed a greater role for the State Council, a consultative body of regional governors and federal officials, and sought to prioritize the primacy of Russian laws over international law.

The proposed changes, he said, would bolster democracy.

The State Duma unanimously voted for the amendments on Thursday, after discussing them for two hours.

Putin, 67, has led Russia for more than 20 years. According to the Russian Constitution, he will step down in 2024, having served two consecutive terms.

The bill submitted to parliament empowers the State Council to "determine the main directions of home and foreign policy".

It gives the parliament more say over Cabinet ministers' appointment, and emphasizes that the president should retain the power to dismiss the prime minister and Cabinet ministers and remain in charge of the Russian military and law enforcement agencies.

The draft also modifies the Constitution to limit a president to two terms altogether, unlike the current version containing a limit of two consecutive terms.

The second reading of the bill is scheduled for Feb 11. Lawmakers and the working group created by Putin have already come up with a variety of proposals in addition to what the draft law outlines.

Putin said that the constitutional changes need to be approved by the entire nation, but it remains unclear how such a vote would be organized.