Russian president against changing constitution

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, December 10, 2003

Russian president against changing constitution

Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed categorical opposition Tuesday to the idea of revising the country's constitution.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed categorical opposition Tuesday to the idea of revising the country's constitution.

"It is time to stop any talk about the need to change the constitution," Putin said at a Kremlin conference marking the 10th anniversary of Russia's constitution that will be celebrated Friday.

"I fully agree that the current constitution has become the backbone of stability in society," he was quoted by Interfax news agency as saying.

The president added that the constitution has not exhausted its positive potential at all.

Putin's remarks came two days after Sunday's nationwide elections of the State Duma, or the lower house of the parliament, in which the pro-Putin United Russia party and his likely allies won a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

Many speculated that Putin, who is likely to be re-elected in the next March presidential election, may either seek an extension of his tenure or pursue a third term with the help of the overwhelming majority, which is required to revise the constitution that stipulates two-term presidency.

Putin has been Russia's most popular politician since 2000 when he took office. Some 70 percent of Russians will vote for him in a presidential election, according to a public opinion survey conducted by a polling center last week among 1,500 Russians in the country's 40 regions.

The Russian Federation Council, or the upper house of the parliament, will hold a meeting Wednesday to decide the date for presidential election. Chairman of the Federation Council Sergei Mironov has said that the senators intended to fix the date on March 14.

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