Gorbachev: We need a referendum for the abolition of the autocracy

In Russia, it is necessary to hold a referendum on constitutional reform and guarantees of democracy, according to the former president of the USSR Mikhail Gorbachev. "You can make one question to the referendum: do you support political and constitutional reforms that would eliminate" autocracy "and guarantee democracy?" - writes Gorbachev in Novaya Gazeta.

Participants in protests achieve "not only the change of specific persons guilty of falsification, but also changes in the political system," Gorbachev believes. In his opinion, the country is experiencing a serious political crisis. "And since the notorious" vertical "arose as part of the current Constitution, it is also a constitutional crisis," the ex -president writes.

Gorbachev sees the most important strategic task in "changing the nature of power relations, excluding the possibility of monopolizing power by any person or group of persons." He supported the point of view of political scientists Igor Klyamkin, Mikhail Krasnov and Lilia Shevtsova, who believe that this task cannot be solved within the legal boundaries of the current "super -presidential" constitution.

"The 1993 Constitution was adopted in the conditions of the fierce struggle of the executive branch in the person of President Yeltsin with the legislative, represented by the Supreme Council," Gorbachev recalls. "The winning executive power dictated the overall structure of the power structure - democratic in form and authoritarian in essence, endowing the presidential power by virtually unlimited powers."

Gorbachev also spoke out for choosing a social democratic strategy for the country's development. In his opinion, "most Russians prefer the requirements that are customary to define as" left. "" The opinion of the injustice of the current social structure is widespread. It causes dissatisfaction with the extreme degree of property inequality. People want the country to observe the principle of equality of opportunities, the equality of citizens before the law, ”Gorbachev points out.

The ex-president spoke in to create a "new, strong democratic party, capable of taking the initiative to renew the Constitution."

At the end of December, Gorbachev called on Vladimir Putin to refuse to participate in the presidential election: "I would advise Vladimir Vladimirovich to leave now. Three deadlines turned out: two deadlines by the president, one period by the prime minister - three deadlines, well, enough to create circles, these clans." Prime Minister’s spokeswoman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, said that Gorbachev had no right to criticize Putin: “The former leader of a huge country, in fact, who ruined it, offers a resignation to a person who managed to save Russia from the same fate.”

Earlier, Gorbachev several times made the harsh critics of Putin and the system built by him. In August, in an interview with the German media, he stated that United Russia is similar to the CPSU and pulls Russia into the past. In February, Gorbachev spoke sharply about the construction of parliament in Russia: "We have a parliament, there are courts, there are president and prime minister, but you know - more imitation, but there is no more effective work, especially ships and parliament."