Lawmakers back Putin’s power play

Russian leader Vladimir Putin could become president for life if voters adopt proposed constitutional changes. The lower house of Russian parliament on Wednesday voted 383-0, with 43 abstentions, in favor of changing the country’s term limits to allow Putin to rule until 2036. The upper house approved the measure hours later. The amendments will face a nationwide vote on April 22.

Will Putin ever quit? The 67-year-old, who has served as either president or prime minister of Russia since 1999, would be 83 when his presidential term finally ran out. On Tuesday, Putin backed the amendments in a speech to the lower house, saying that “stability is perhaps more important and must be a priority” when a country is undergoing difficult times.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read editor-in-chief Marvin Olasky’s column about how Putin threatens liberty.