MOSCOW — The Kremlin’s plan to extend the term of the Russian presidency to six years from four years received final legislative backing Monday, but speculation over what the change meant for Vladimir Putin’s future showed no signs of abating.
Both Putin, the prime minister and former president, and his protege, President Dmitri Medvedev, have said the longer term is intended to strengthen the presidency. They have brushed aside questions about whether the real goal is to pave the way for Putin to return to the presidency relatively soon.
The speculation is that Medvedev would resign in the coming months and cede the post to Putin, who could then serve for six years.
Medvedev introduced the plan in November, six months after taking office. He also called for increasing the term of members of the parliament to five years from four. He was elected president with the endorsement of Putin, who was barred by the constitution from running for a third consecutive presidential term.
The two have been ruling in tandem, though Putin is widely considered Russia’s paramount leader.
The New York Times
