RT: Russian government resigns after President Putin’s state-of-the-nation address proposes changes to the constitution
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that the entire government is resigning in a surprise statement released shortly after President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address.
Accepting the resignation, Putin thanked the ministers for their hard work and asked them to function as a caretaker government until a new one can be formed.
Medvedev and Putin had met for a work meeting to discuss the state-of-the-nation address earlier on Wednesday, the Kremlin said. Medvedev explained that the cabinet is resigning in accordance with Article 117 of the Russian Constitution, which states that the government can offer its resignation to the president, who can either accept or reject it.
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WNU Editor: This move by Russian President Putin has surprised a lot of people in Russia. He is also breaking a promise to those who make up Russia's establishment that he was not going to manipulate or alter the constitution to stay in power after 2024. He lied. There is going to be a lot of blow-back in Russia against this, and I predict very little if any public support. They will see it for what it is .... a power grab. If he puts this to a referendum today and it is done fairly, it will be easily defeated with a sizable majority. So why did he make this announcement today with four years left in his mandate? I think it is a message telling everyone that he is not a "lame duck". For the past year Russian political parties and leaders have been positioning themselves to be ready to run for the Russian Presidency in 2024. They are influencing policy, government legislation, and public debate on what should be the future of Russia. While all of this was happening, Russian President Putin was being ignored, and my guess is that he decided it was in his interest to put a stop to it now before it gets out of hand. But the problem is that I could tell that this proposal to change the constitution was done very quickly, and the sudden resignation of the government was done at the last moment. Even President Putin's statement that Prime Minister Medvedev's government was a failure was also out of character. They have known each other for years, and I detected a certain amount of animosity from Putin directed at his now former Prime Minister. And as for ex-Prime Minister Medvedev, he is the big loser in this power shift, and from what I saw he definitely did not look happy on what was happening.
More News On The Russian Government Resigning
Highlights of Putin's State of the Nation Address -- TASS
Russian government resigns -- TASS
Putin proposes major amendments to Russia’s constitution incl. about his own post, says people should vote on changes -- RT
Russian government resigns as Vladimir Putin plans future -- BBC
Russian PM and government quit as Putin proposes constitutional changes -- The Guardian
Russian prime minister submits resignation to Putin -- AP
Putin uses state of nation speech to flag referendum on constitutional change -- France 24
Putin engineers shakeup that could keep him in power longer -- AP
Russia to get new prime minister after government resigns -- DW
Russian Government resigns after Putin calls for constitutional overhaul -- ABC News Online
Putin appoints Mishustin as PM after Medvedev's resignation -- France 24
Putin names successor to Medvedev as Russian prime minister -- The Hill
Russian gov't resigns to clear path for Putin's major constitutional changes -- UPI
Russian gov't quits after Putin proposes constitutional reform -- Al Jazeera
Putin proposes Federal Tax Service head Mishustin as next Prime Minister -- RT
Putin puts forward little-known tax chief as new Russian PM: Kremlin -- Reuters
'Technocratic placeholder'? Putin picks low-profile tax chief as Russian PM -- Reuters
Putin shake-up could keep him in power past 2024 as cabinet steps aside -- Reuters
Putin proposes vesting Russia’s lower house with power to nominate PM, cabinet -- TASS
Putin to introduce office of Security Council deputy head, appoint Medvedev -- TASS
Outgoing PM Medvedev to become deputy head of Russia’s Security Council -- RT
Putin to introduce office of Security Council deputy head, appoint Medvedev -- TASS
Russia's parliament to consider new PM's candidacy on Thursday: RIA -- Reuters
Putin's power grab: Russian government RESIGNS after president unveils reforms which would weaken Vladimir's successor and allow him to pull the strings as PM after presidential term ends -- Daily Mail
Putin consolidates power as Russian government resigns -- CNBC
Putin is sending a message to the world with his shock announcement -- CNN
'A Bloodless Revolution.' Putin’s Plan to Rewrite Russia’s Constitution Could Allow Him to Lead for Years to Come -- Time
6 comments:
"I may have spoken too soon .... Russian gov't resigns to clear path for Putin's major constitutional changes (UPI). This is catching everyone by surprise, and everyone that I have spoke to in Russia are not happy. I will be updating this story later."
WNU was wrong. Yet I think nearly everyone did not see this coming.
I really appreciate WNU's analysis and it was well worth the time to read it.
If I were Putin, I would be pissed off too if people are ignoring you and considering you are a lame duck with 4 years to go. Maybe at 1 year or 2 years but 4 ?
I wonder if China was an influence, in terms of what is politically possible. China has fallen to one man rule. That ruler and Putin talk, visit, and plan. If Putin has no end, he is equal in that relationship. If he is a passing thing, he is the lessor figure. China must impress him.
you suggest something you want something and wants becomes has
It might well be that this is another signal that we're moving to a post-modern understanding of Democracy in this new great power competition that will define the first half of this century, likely heating up until 2050.
The three key nations when it comes to military and power projection - mostly USA China, with Russia desperately trying to be relevant among the top 2/3, are all nations where democracy is either failing or being actively surpressed.
China obviously is not a democracy, and Russia is barely one. The US' is the oldest democracy but if you look at the democracy effectiveness levels (transparency,corruption, equality etc) you know the US is very much driven by the media, political and industrial/financial establishment and a neocon and tech/defence industry - sometimes overlapping in interests, sometimes opposed but clearly anti-democratic.
I believe the next couple of decades will signal if we shift to a new power structure post democracy/post "people rule ", or finally get our act together. Putin's move signals to me that Russia is going backwards. And understand the reasons why. It's not just that Putin (or Erdogan or any other strongman or woman) dies this entirely for personal gain. No. They do it also believing that they personally can move the country forward more efficiently without the downsides of a democracy (eg the lame duck effect among hundreds of other reasons)
We,the people, want democracy (in theory). And we are very very close to not get it, no matter how much we vote. Closer than you would believe.
We either move towards democracy and capitalism 2.0 or we will get nationalism and great power struggle 2.0 that will redefine our rights and values using everything from AI to IoT and genetic manipulation to keep ahead of the other nation and their cultural values.
It will be unchecked warfare, with all participants fully understanding that the winners of this struggle will inherit the World.
That or democracy 2.0
The latter one won't make a good movie so my bet is on global warfare
*dramatic effect and Michael Bay type explosions* -- random movie title followed by patriotic images of one human team you like killing bunch of other humans in a team you oppose and some flag waving --
2020... Jesus we're stupid
You are seeing the development of a government much like Great Britain, where a monarch is a life long position and a Prime Minister is elected and has term limits. And no Putin will not be the Czar.
Many think it is for Putin to serve longer, and it is not.
So, expect the introduction of the Czar in waiting to be anointed by the Russian Orthodox church, and the government modified to accommodate the same.
Not surprising to me. I thought it very evident that Putin was going to stay on as paramount leader. It was just a question of HOW he was going to do that. Now we know.
WNU is great at analysis when it comes to countries besides Russia. When it comes to Russia, he can provide lots of good information based on his personal knowledge of the country. But it is clear by now that he has a major blindside when it comes to Putin. I think WNU is just "too close" to his own homeland to be objective, and he falls for wishful thinking. I find the analysis by Brian Whitmore on his Power Vertical podcasts (formerly on Radio Free Europe, now with the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)) to be much more insightful.
Chris
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