Putin's Proposal to Modify the Russian Constitution: Keep Succession Options Open and Increase Freedom to Maneuver

On January 20, 2020 - just days after his state-of-the nation speech followed by the surprising resignation of the Russian government and the appointment of a new prime minister - President Vladimir Putin submitted constitutional changes to the State Duma, the lower house of parliament. They are likely to be approved there and then legitimized by a popular vote planned for April 2020. The amendments that Putin proposed reveal much about the future of Russia’s political system and Putin’s role in it.