Bloomberg: Putin is preparing for a new castling

Russian President Vladimir Putin is preparing for a new castling: after 2024, he can remain in power by controlling the renewed State Duma. The Kremlin is considering changing the electoral law, Bloomberg writes , citing sources.

What's happening? The Kremlin has thought about reducing the proportion of State Duma deputies elected on party lists from 50% to 25% (that's 112 people). The remaining 75% will be elected by constituency: in this way, pro-Kremlin candidates do not show affiliation with the party in power and are nominally independent. The changes are expected to take effect in the next parliamentary elections in 2021, giving Putin full control of the new legislature three years before the end of his presidential term.

Why is this needed? Maintaining a strong influence on parliament would increase Putin's room for manoeuvre. “This could potentially allow the 66-year-old president to switch roles, retaining the reins of power as chairman of the ruling party and prime minister with expanded constitutional powers, at the expense of the powers of the president,” the agency writes, citing two sources close to the Kremlin and a senior member of United Russia.

Why now? Despite the fact that the authorities are actively clearing the electoral space from opposition candidates, United Russia candidates do not receive voter support, and Bloomberg characterizes the party itself as “toxic”. Last year, in several regions, gubernatorial candidates from the party in power failed to win re-election, and now six pro-Kremlin candidates for the post of head of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are running as self-nominees. At the same time, the Kremlin still expects problems in the elections in four regions. In total, on a single voting day, direct elections of governors will be held in 16 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Until now, only the option of solving the “problem-2024” by uniting Russia with Belarus and creating a supranational post has been discussed in the public field. President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that there was no need to "even talk about it." However, political analysts doubt the scenario of a new castling due to the weakening of the president, pointing out that Putin is a consistent supporter of strong presidential power.