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Term limits in Russia are limitations set by the Constitution of Russia that limit how long an individual may hold a specific political office in Russia. The Russian government uses consecutive term limits, requiring officeholders to leave office after term limits have been reached, but allowing them to seek the office again after one term of separation. The President of Russia is limited to no more than two consecutive six year terms, and governors of all federal subjects are limited to no more than two consecutive five year terms.
President Vladimir Putin has caused concern by circumventing constitutional term limits. While Putin was ineligible for the presidency in 2008, he maintained de facto rule over the country from the office of Prime Minister. Putin would have again been ineligible for the 2024 Russian presidential election, but a 2020 amendment to the Constitution of Russia exempted Putin from presidential term limits until 2036.
Presidential term limits[edit]
Article 6 of the Soviet Constitution was amended in 1990 to establish the office of President of the Soviet Union. It set terms of five years, mirroring the five-year terms used by other Soviet officials, and the president was limited to two terms.[1] This term limit was never reached, as the dissolution of the Soviet Union occurred in 1991 while President Mikhail Gorbachev was still serving in his first term.
As the Constitution of Russia was developed in 1993, none of its authors challenged the inclusion of a two-term limit, though they debated the length of terms before deciding on four years.[1] Little consideration was given to the word "consecutive" in the constitution. Because of this, it became legal for presidents to seek further terms so long as no more than two were consecutive.[2]
President Boris Yeltsin did not complete his final term, resigning from the presidency three months before it ended in 1999. This positioned Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as acting president until he was elected president in his own right in the 2000 election. He was reelected for a second term in the 2004 election[3]
The term limit was reached by Vladimir Putin in 2008 upon the end of his second four-year term. His political future became a subject of debate in Russia, with his supporters arguing that he needed a third term to finish implementing his reforms.[3]
By summer 2007, Putin floated the idea of increased the length of a presidential term.[4] That October, he announced his intention to run in the 2007 legislative election, and in December he endorsed his ally Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to be the next president. Medvedev was elected in the 2008 election, and he appointed Putin as prime minister the day after his inauguration. Putin retained strong control over the Russian executive from this position, and he maintained broad control over policy.[5] Medvedev did not exercise his power to hire or fire government officials, instead retaining those appointed by Putin.[6] It was not certain whether Putin or Medvedev was the de facto leader of Russia.[5] Depending on the metric used, this may be considered an effective extension of the presidential term beyond constitutional term limits.[7]
Before his first year as president was done, Medvedev proposed an amendment to the constitution, increasing presidential terms from four to six years. The amendment was enacted in December 2008, to take effect beginning with the next term after the 2012 election.[4] In September 2011, Medvedev endorsed Putin for a return to the presidency in the 2012 election.[8] Putin was elected president in 2012 and then reelected in the 2018 election. The constitution was amended in 2020 to reset the number of terms Putin has served, allowing him to circumvent term limits in the 2024 and 2030 elections, enabling him to legally stay in office until 2036.[9]
Subject term limits[edit]
In 1999, governors of Russian subjects were limited to two terms. This law was reinterpreted in 2001 so that terms before the 1999 law did not count toward a governor's term limit.[10] Putin enforced these term limits on governors depending on their loyalty to his agenda. Governors were nominally limited to two terms, but this was only enforced against governors that were not subservient to Putin.[11] In 2004, the direct election of governors was abolished in favor of appointments, effectively abolishing term limits as well.[12]
The law was changed in 2015, once again allowing the direct election of governors in Russia and limiting them to no more than two consecutive five year terms.[citation needed] In 2021, the federal government of Russia began working toward abolishing these term limits.[13]
Historical term limits[edit]
The earliest term limits in Russia were established in the 13th century in Novgorod Republic for the office of posadnik. The posadnik shared executive power with the duke, and competition over who should hold the office meant that it came to be cycled between aristocrats. This ended in the 14th century when it was converted into a council with lifetime appointments. A similar office subject to term limits developed in the Pskov Republic in the 14th century.[14]
Russian monarchs and Soviet premiers were not subject to term limits.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Baturo 2014, p. 34.
- ^ Baturo 2014, p. 35.
- ^ a b Baturo 2014, p. 49.
- ^ a b Baturo 2014, pp. 51–52.
- ^ a b Baturo 2014, p. 51.
- ^ Baturo 2014, p. 52.
- ^ Baturo 2014, pp. 52–53.
- ^ Baturo 2014, p. 53.
- ^ Odynova, Alexandra (April 5, 2021). "Putin signs law allowing him to serve 2 more terms as Russia's president". CBS News. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
- ^ Campbell & Ross 2008, p. 110.
- ^ Campbell & Ross 2008, p. 75.
- ^ Campbell & Ross 2008, p. 111.
- ^ "Russia Moves to Abolish Regional 'Presidency'". The Moscow Times. 2021-12-15. Retrieved 2022-03-28.
- ^ Baturo 2014, p. 22.
Bibliography[edit]
- Baturo, Alexander (2014). Democracy, Dictatorship, and Term Limits. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 9780472119318.
- Campbell, Adrian; Ross, Cameron, eds. (2008). Federalism and Local Politics in Russia. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781134075577.