A bill allowing Russia's regional leaders to serve more than two consecutive terms in office has been proposed by a group of lawmakers in the State Duma, parliament's lower chamber.
The bill, proposed by Nikolai Klishas, a member of the State Duma, would allow Kremlin-backed leaders such as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to run for a third term when his current term ends in 2023.
Klishas told journalists on September 27 that the bill also envisions the establishment of a single, unified name for posts held by regional leaders, which would abolish titles such as president for republics inside Russia. That move would affect Rustam Minnikhanov, the president of the republic of Tatarstan.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaders of ethnic republics in Russia used to be called presidents. In 2010, a law was adopted that banned calling regional leaders president, but Tatarstan preserved the right to call its leader president.
Bill Allowing More Than Two Consecutive Terms For Regional Leaders Proposed In Russia
Russia's State Duma (file photo)