Putin said he proposed amendments to the constitution not to extend personal power, but to improve the Russian political system.

"During my time as president and prime minister, I saw a lot of things that were not working well. The health and education field often gave rise to problems. That's why I proposed it and it was not meant to be. extends my power, "Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a university in the city of Cherepovets, north of Moscow today.

In his Federal Message on January 15, the Kremlin boss surprised him by proposing a major overhaul of the Russian constitution and was passed by the lower house. Under this proposal, the lower house has the right to choose the prime minister and senior cabinet positions, the power that belongs to the president.

Putin also wants to tighten the requirements for the presidential candidate, while changing the rule that a president must not be in office for more than two consecutive terms to only hold two terms. Former Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and all government officials resigned to facilitate amendments to the constitution.

Putin's proposals sparked speculation that he was seeking to extend power after the end of his fourth presidency in 2024. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny said that Putin wanted to turn himself into "leader." lifetime. "

However, the Russian president affirmed that the public will have a final say in the implementation of this turning point. They may support or reject the constitutional reform bill in the referendum, but the timing of the referendum is unclear.

According to a survey published last week by the Levada Center, an independent exploration organization, 47% of Russians believe the amendments are in Putin's interest, while 44% say the changes are intended to improve. political system.