Vladimir Putin has signed a law that could keep him in office until 2036, effectively resetting his presidential terms and allowing him to run for two more terms. The legislation, signed on Monday, ends a year-long process of constitutional changes that critics have denounced as a power grab.
The new law limits Russian citizens to two presidential terms in their lifetime, but it specifically excludes terms served before the law came into effect. This means Putin's four previous terms, including his current one, do not count, enabling him to serve two additional six-year terms. If he remains in power until 2036, his tenure would surpass Joseph Stalin's 29-year rule, making him the longest-serving Moscow leader since the Russian empire.
Putin has been Russia's dominant political figure since assuming the presidency in 2000, following Boris Yeltsin's resignation. He previously circumvented term limits by serving as prime minister from 2008 to 2012 while remaining the de facto leader. His return to the presidency in 2012 sparked protests that were harshly suppressed.
Analysts suggest the law may not indicate Putin's desire to stay in power but rather to avoid being a lame duck and prevent a power struggle. However, Putin has consistently chosen to remain in office, and the new law also grants him and former president Dmitry Medvedev lifetime immunity from prosecution. Putin's current term expires in 2024.
