No. 250: Putin

Author(s): Caroline von Gall, Laura Jäckel, Fabian Burkhardt, Ulrich Schmid, Gwendolyn Sasse
Series Editor(s): Stephen Aris, Matthias Neumann, Robert Orttung, Jeronim Perović, Heiko Pleines, Hans-Henning Schröder, Aglaya Snetkov
Series: Russian Analytical Digest (RAD)
Volume: 250
Publisher(s): Center for Security Studies (CSS), ETH Zürich; Research Centre for East European Studies (FSO), University of Bremen; Institute for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies (IERES), George Washington University; Center for Eastern European Studies (CEES), University of Zurich; German Association for East European Studies (DGO)
Publication Year: 2020

The topic of this issue focuses on Russian President Vladimir Putin. Firstly, Caroline von Gall and Laura Jäckel suggest that while the focus of the current Russian constitutional reform is on the succession management allowing President Vladimir Putin to stay in power until 2036, the adopted amendments go far beyond this. Secondly, Fabian Burkhardt posits that the constitutional amendment that would zero out Putin’s current presidential terms and therefore allow him to run once more for president in 2024 suggest that regime personalization has further progressed. Thirdly, Ulrich Schmid notes that the amended version of Article 68 of the Russian constitution (defining Russian as the official state language) adds an explanation that Russian is the language of the “state-forming people.” Fourthly and lastly, Gwendolyn Sasse covers how often the official Kremlin website refers to the annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine.

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