Constitutional amendment hands Putin two more terms

After a week of voting, Russians on Wednesday approved a slate of more than 200 amendments that included maintaining the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman and an emphasis on “a belief in God.” Voters also said President Vladimir Putin could run for two more six-year terms after his current stint ends in 2024. After more than two decades in power as either president or prime minister, Putin could stay in office until as late as 2036, when he would turn 83.

Was the vote legitimate? The Kremlin-dominated Russian parliament had already passed the amendments, which made them the law of the land, but Putin insisted on holding a referendum to add a democratic tint to his authoritarian rule. After counting ballots from 30 percent of the precincts, election officials claimed 74 percent of voters backed the amendments. Independent analysts said there were widespread anomalies and artificial turnout boosts across the country.

Dig deeper: Check out Marvin Olasky’s reading list for understanding Russia’s past and present.