1. Institutionalizing Personalism: The Russian Presidency after Constitutional Changes
- Author
-
Fabian Burkhardt
- Subjects
Cultural Studies ,History ,semi-presidentialism ,term limits ,executive politics ,Presidency ,Sociology and Political Science ,Politikwissenschaft ,constitutional amendment ,Legislaturperiode ,Russia ,Exekutive ,Political science ,Autoritarismus ,Putin, V ,Staatsrat ,Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture ,politische Willensbildung, politische Soziologie, politische Kultur ,Reform ,president ,Präsident ,Verfassungsänderung ,executive power ,authoritarianism ,legislative term ,Council of State (GDR) ,Personalism ,Law ,ddc:320 ,Political Science and International Relations ,Russland - Abstract
The 2020 constitutional changes considerably increase presidential powers while sending mixed signals about presidential transition. The main driver of the amendments were term limits. The “zeroing” of Putin’s presidential terms enhances certainty for himself by fostering uncertainty for others. But there is more to the amendments: Numerous changes are not new, they simply align the constitutional text with subconstitutional powers the presidency had been accumulating. The embedding of term limit circumvention in a comprehensive constitutional overhaul is a risk-hedging strategy to avert resistance by weakening the signal about Putin’s intentions. Constitutional changes are therefore an instrument of elite coordination. The amendments also increase presidential flexibility. This expedited regime personalization is detrimental to governance and will make repression more prevalent. But it also creates more risks for Putin. Regardless of how presidential succession will play out, Putin’s legacy will be a highly personalized authoritarian regime with a constitutionally unconstrained presidency.
- Published
- 2021