Russian politicians approved Vladimir Putin’s amendments to the constitution, including changes that would allow Putin to run for two more terms in the Kremlin.
On Wednesday, about 160 senators in the upper house Federation Council supported Putin’s constitutional reforms. One MP voted against the amendments, and three more abstained.
If the amendments are approved by two-thirds of Russian regional parliaments, they will be put to a public vote on April 22.
The changes would practically annul Putin’s past presidential terms, allowing the president to remain in power until 2036. According to the current legislation, Putin must step down in 2024.
Some opposition activists already plan to protest the changes, which some call the rewriting of the constitution to benefit the ruling elite.