The entire Russian government resigned on Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin said a range of constitutional changes were needed.
Putin, in his annual address to Parliament, proposed a referendum on amending Russia’s constitution to increase the powers of parliament – while maintaining a strong presidential system.
Putin was quoted by Aljazeera News as saying, that without specifying any date for a vote, he considers it necessary to conduct a vote by the country’s citizens on an entire package of proposed amendments to the country’s constitution.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who tendered his resignation to Putin, will be appointed the new deputy head of Russia’s influential Security Council.
Putin’s comments, at the Russian equivalent of the US State of the Union address, came as observers watched for clues as to how he might reform the political system before 2024 when his current presidential term ends and the constitution requires him to step down. He will be aged 71 at that time.
He called for a boost to the powers of parliament, making legislators responsible for choosing the prime minister and senior cabinet members.
