In Russia only held a nationwide vote on amendments to the Constitution, which was approved by the absolute majority of the votes of the Russians and got about 80% of the votes.
Before President Vladimir Putin have the opportunity to be reelected to 83 years. In fact, for him, a system “life presidency”.
Since taking up Putin, President of Russia 20 years have passed. For one of the largest countries in the world this is an unusually long period of time. During this time, Putin managed to concentrate in their hands the enormous power of successfully coping with the internal political opposition and opposition media.
Actually, its now completed the campaign for the reform of the current Constitution, Putin began resolutely implement since January of this year. As a result of amendments in force at last of the Constitution, the rule prohibiting to the President to occupy the highest public office 3 consecutive terms was replaced by the provision “no more than 2 terms”. However, all previous presidential terms of Putin was “reset”.
Thus, Putin was able to continue to hold the office of President at the end of the current term in 2024. In his own words, he does not exclude that can stand as a candidate at the next election.
It should be noted however, that the controversial amendment of presidential terms was in the draft of the new Constitution is hidden in an array of more than 200 other amendments. Such methods are difficult to call fair. It should be recognized that beneath the ultimate goal of the long “privatization” of the highest authorities in the country.
Against the background of economic recession and pandemic coronavirus in Russia, the level of support for Putin recently began to decline. The Russian public opinion appeared to lengthen the existence of the Putin regime. In this regard, he there is an urgent need for the reaffirmation of its strong policy to overcome the cooling of the Russians to themselves and turn away their eyes from the failures in domestic policy.
In 2014, Russia unilaterally annexed the former Ukrainian Peninsula of Crimea. In this regard, the United States and Western countries, including Japan, imposed against Russia economic sanctions, excluded from the G8 group and has taken other measures to isolate her.
The ongoing Russia’s aggressive external politics only complicates its international position and contributes to the destabilization of the situation in the country. Russia should be the desire for harmony with the global community in international Affairs.
As for Japan, it is a special challenge is included in the new Constitution the paragraph about the “inadmissibility of alienation of Russian territory”. However, in the Constitution the caveat that it “does not apply to work of demarcation or redemarcation borders.” However, it is necessary to proceed from reality in recent years, Russia has consistently insisted that its sovereignty over the “Northern Islands” is the final result of the last world war.
Not to be discounted, and the ongoing consolidation of the Russian public opinion, acting against the return of “Northern territories” of Japan. In these circumstances it is necessary to prepare for the fact that Russia will take more tough stance that the negotiations on the peace Treaty with Japan should be completely divorced from the question of return of territories.
Nevertheless, the illegal seizure of Russia’s four “Northern Islands” is a historical fact. For Japan it is important to recognize Russia’s refusal to return the Islands despite the selfish and one-sided interpretation of its history and the nomination of a new Constitution as a kind of “shield”.
Comments Japanese readers
vk4
The economic and military weakening of Russia in the interests of Japan.
mas
During the period of his rule, Putin has done nothing for the real development of relations with Japan. Maybe that’s why the Russian far East is lagging behind in its economic and social development?
kim
The sequence of our actions is. First we get “Northern territory”, and then think about relations with Russia.
wqw
20 years ago, Putin was so beautiful. Now aged. And want to really grow old as President?
wor
This choice was made by the Russians. And nothing can be done here.
mk4
In a sense, Russia is turning into North Korea of Eastern Europe.
sak
Russia is widely known in the world of conspiracies and assassination of its emperors.
sap
Want to be under Putin, Russia has weakened further. Of course, this is a bad feeling towards the Russian people. But the weaker will be the Russian government, the more chance we will have to return the “Northern territories”.
gen
Island for us to return Russia does not want, and in our investment and technology is interested. If it continues to behave, and further, it will be just as useless as North and South Korea.
Han
Japan can not seriously rely on the honesty of Russia’s foreign policy. But the island still have to return something! We need to constantly come up with new diplomatic moves. Watch carefully that the Russians did not build the “Northern territories” new military bases.
