Russian President Vladimir Putin has postponed a vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow him to stay in power until 2036, citing concerns of the spreading coronavirus outbreak.
In a surprise announcement Wednesday, Mr. Putin said the planned April 22 vote will be delayed until a “later date” that has yet to be disclosed.
“The absolute priority for us is the health, life and safety of people. Therefore I believe that the vote should be postponed until a later date,” Mr. Putin said in a televised address.
Russia has 658 confirmed cases of coronavirus and one death, according to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, though questions are mounting that officials have not disclosed the true number of cases or deaths.
The proposed change has been confirmed by Russia’s constitutional court and would effectively reset the number of presidential terms served for former presidents.
Under the amendment, Mr. Putin could remain in power for two more consecutive terms. He has served as president since 2012.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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