Putin passed the draft constitutional amendment to the House of Representatives, marking the first step in the process of regulating the power of the President of Russia.

"President Vladimir Putin has submitted a draft of amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation to the House of Representatives," Kremlin spokesman announced today. The draft is also published on the website of the Russian House of Representatives, which focuses on provisions to give more functions to parliament and to limit the power of the president.

This is considered the first step in the process of revising the Russian constitution. The draft will undergo many rounds of discussion in the House and Senate. If approved by the two houses of parliament, the document will go to the Kremlin and take effect after President Putin signs it.

Putin on Tuesday read the Federal Message, proposing a constitutional amendment that gives the Russian House of Representatives the right to choose the prime minister and senior cabinet positions. This power belongs to the President. He also wants to avoid leadership that holds power for a lifetime, saying that this mechanism cannot solve the problem of power transfer and ensure national stability.

Russia currently imposes a limit on one president who cannot hold office for more than two consecutive terms. Putin wants to change this rule to a president that can serve only two terms. He also proposed tightening standards with the Russian presidential candidate.