There are moments in which Russian citizens to keep a copy of the Constitution high, a slim book with a white-blue-red cover. Mostly, you see the protests, but rarely. Last week, for example, the memorial March for the murdered opposition politician Boris Nemtsov, a copy had a couple of Moscow in the process. The March was to Protest against Vladimir Putin . The President rewrites the Constitution, there was only another reason. The great Protest against the Reform remained, however, in the past.

you don't understand is really why and with what consequences Putin, the Constitution wants to change. On the coming Tuesday and Wednesday, the Parliament votes on the final draft, a Yes is considered to be safe. In mid-March, the President then writes the Reform, he has chosen the anniversary of the annexation of Crimea. The last one on 22 may. April the citizens to vote on the amendment to the Constitution. A process, it never has been. It should not look as if Putin had decided to make the biggest change in the Russian Law for 27 years, alone.

it was probably exactly like that. As the President announced in mid-January its Reform, resigned on the same day, the government. Immediately the speculation, what is the purpose of Putin with his Changes came thick and fast. Between the Kremlin, Parliament, security Council, Council of state tasks should be redistributed, that much is clear. Putin is preparing, it seems the time after his presidency. But how, exactly, he moves the Power, remains vague.

conflicts smooth

iron Since January, things have become even more confusing. The President has declared the Russian Constitution to a large drawing Board. A lot of suggestions on what you could write everything into it, were discussed, they were colorful and far-reaching: Faith in God, Russia's victory in the Second world war, the redistribution of the Russian Arctic. Last week, Putin has updated its own requests for changes, 24 pages.

In Putin's Constitution is now being mentioned to God, and the conflicts of the last centuries will be ironed smooth. The Russian Federation is United "by a thousand-year history", true the "memory of ancestors who have transmitted to us the Ideals and Faith in God."

With emotional issues such as God and family, the Kremlin controls the discussion away from Putin's future.

the change in The Constitution also stipulates, "the protection of the historical truth and the memory of the defenders of the Fatherland". A paragraph further describes marriage as a "Union of a man and a woman", excludes the same-sex marriage. Children are defined as "the most important thing in the public domain" in Russia, the state assumes the responsibility for their education, such as Patriotism. Russian state language.

It seems so, as a list of Putin's greatest Hits from the value debate of the past few years. Everything, he believes that it is the majority of Russians hold dear. The Crimea will probably be declared soon, indirectly, for untouchable. The Constitution describes it as illegal, the Russian territory to give up and call it even.

"Strange ideas"

Putin, regard the Reform as his legacy, says the political scientist Tatyana Stanowaja. He did not want to leave Russia only with the Constitution, Boris Yeltsin from 1993, but with "Putin's Constitution", his place in the history create. "He supports all these strange ideas about God and the Russian language, because he believes that these traditional values to strengthen the country and Russia's strengths." Which Items will take Putin in probably four years, do not betray the Constitution.

With emotional issues such as God and family, the Kremlin controls the discussion away from Putin's future. The Power of the President-in-office will be expanded and not curtailed, as it appeared at first glance. Putin makes his possible successor, apparently the game room. For Tatjana Stanowaja this is not a contradiction. "Only a strong successor can guarantee Putin's safety."

25 percent, however, want to vote a Lewada poll for the amendment of the Constitution, 10 per cent. The Rest is unsure or doesn't want to go. 65 percent do not understand the essence of the Reform, 58 percent understand why they should be necessary. Putin has provided incentives for enough votes to come together. He has written the minimum wage and the indexation of pensions in the Reform, according to surveys, the popular points.

Putin is no longer taken by surprise

Why there is criticism? Because everything goes too fast, too opaque. "Even people from the presidential administration and the government were not prepared, even shocked," says Tatjana Stanowaja. Putin didn't want to give the Opposition no opportunity to protest. The Putin-critics were so surprised that they enrolled in Moscow's protests, but then cancelled the appointment out of concern that too little people.

the lack of confidence of many people in their Constitution. "This is the biggest lesson from this story," says the sociologist Konstantin Gaaze. Not what Putin wool, not the transfer of power, "but the mere knowledge that the Constitution of Russia, for 27 years, from the Russians value is estimated. For me, this is absolutely extraordinary." The majority of Russian citizens considered the Constitution as a "strategy book for the Elite," says the researcher, but hardly relevant to her own life.

Created: 08.03.2020, 21:11 PM