Russia's Central Election Commission rejects third term for Putin

[Cylinder]

Russia rejects move to give Putin third term

Russia's top election authority on Wednesday threw out a call for a people's poll that would clear the way for President Vladimir Putin to stay on in power, making it more likely he will step down as he plans in 2008.

Putin has said repeatedly he will abide by the constitution that restricts a head of state to serving two consecutive four-year terms in power at any one time, and go in 2008.

But this has not stopped supporters from urging the 53-year-old Putin to stay on and in the latest such move a group from a southern Russian region formally sought a referendum to get the two-term rule scrapped.

Rejecting the move, Russia's election chief Alexander Veshnyakov said: "None of the members of the Central Election Commission, none of the experts, have any doubts that the question in its present form cannot be used for a referendum."

 

[Darat]

Ah Russia the poster child for the failings of both Communism and Capitalism!

 

[Beerina]

Ah Russia the poster child for the failings of both Communism and Capitalism!

I fail to see how anti-capitalism in Putin represents a failing of capitalism. It is fascism, or communism, or socialism to seize control of radio and TV stations using the power of the government. Captialism does not allow people to put their competitors out of business at the point of a gun.

In any case, this should start getting a lot more interesting in about a year or so when the deadline for him to step down approaches. Will he even let an election occur? Will he wait until the last second before throwing a coup (and with no Yeltsin to stand in the way this time)? Or will he fraudulently somehow force his way back onto the ballot somehow?

 

[Darth Rotor]

Russia rejects move to give Putin third term

This is going to be great fun to watch as he has to decide on whether or not to step down. Altruist Vlad isn't, but he may have the principles to do as he "should."

DR