The Kremlin’s proposed constitutional amendments to extend Putin’s tenure could still set Moscow up for having to deal with a transition of power at a time of severe economic hardships…. At the direction of President Vladimir Putin, the Russian State Duma is amending the country’s constitution by limiting the role of the presidency, while making different Russian branches of government more reliant on each other in an attempt to limit disruption and factional competition at the time of an actual succession. But with a constitutional amendment that would allow Putin to run for another two terms, the Kremlin is also trying to delay that inevitable transition as much as possible. The Kremlin’s efforts to extend President Vladimir Putin’s 20-year presidency will enable Moscow to sustain the policies that have seen Russia reclaim its great power status, while postponing the political and socio-economic instability that could result from transitioning to […]