It is worth recalling that deputies from the pro-government party, in particular Valentina Tereshkova, proposed an amendment to the Constitution that would nullify the presidential term of the incumbent president. She explained that voters often turn to MPs to express their fears about what will happen to the country when Putin leaves. As a result, the United Russia party almost immediately formulated relevant amendments, introduced them for consideration to the lower chamber of parliament and supported them in the first reading by their own majority. On the occasion of the discussion of these legislative initiatives, Vladimir Putin visited the State Duma personally. He admitted his possible participation in the new elections as he spoke to the MPs.
Vladimir Putin made a point that his participation in the next presidential election will be possible if a relevant decision is approved by the Constitutional Court. For this to happen, the latter will have to decide whether of not the amendment contradicts Russia’s Constitution. At the same time, Putin underlined that at first, the Russians should vote in support of adoption of the constitutional amendments, including the one that gives him the right to become president again.
Simultaneously, Putin did not support the initiative to remove the limit on the number of terms of the Russian presidency. It is noteworthy that the United Russia deputies, the initiators of the amendments to nullify Putin's own presidential term, proposed not only these changes, but also the removal of restrictions on the maximum number of terms for which a president can be elected.