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Russian lower house rejects amendment on renaming president as ‘supreme ruler’

As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no position on this proposal
A session of the Russian State Duma Sergei Savostyanov/TASS
A session of the Russian State Duma
© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. The State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Committee on State Building and Legislation rejected a constitutional amendment, which suggested renaming the post of the head of state as ‘the supreme ruler’ at its session on Wednesday.

The legislative initiative was put forward by leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Several members of the LDPR faction also took part in drafting the amendment. Zhirinovsky earlier outlined this position on numerous occasions: in the politician’s opinion, it is necessary to give up foreign words in the names of state posts in Russia.

As Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov earlier said, Russian President Vladimir Putin has no position on this proposal.

The LDPR leader also earlier proposed renaming the post of the deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council as the vice president. The State Duma Committee also rejected this amendment, which proposed supplementing article 83 of the Constitution on the president’s powers with a clause: "makes a decision on the appointment and the dismissal of the vice president."

At its January 23 session, the lower house of Russia’s parliament unanimously adopted a bill submitted by President Putin on amendments to the Constitution.

In particular, the document envisages expanding the powers of the president and the Constitutional Court of Russia, prohibiting top officials from having a residence permit in other countries, restricting the number of presidential terms, establishing the priority of the Fundamental Law over international treaties and enhancing the state’s social commitments.

The Russian president’s bill also stipulates holding a nationwide vote on the amendments to the Constitution.