Rule until 2036 or leave power and become a senator for life, with guaranteed immunity. These are the options that the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, has it on the table today.
The truth is that the president paved the way this week to quietly leave the Kremlin, if he so desires, by signing a law that protects former presidents from prosecution.
(In context: Putin enacts law that will guarantee him immunity when he leaves the Kremlin).
See Russian ex-presidents or their relatives may not be subject to arrests or arrests, Records, interrogations or criminal or administrative cases, as stipulated in the recent legal rule that, after passing through Parliament, was sanctioned by Putin.
The legislation was part of the constitutional amendments that were passed in a referendum in June and gave the green light to the 68-year-old president to remain in the presidency beyond 2024.
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Before this law was enacted, a former president only enjoyed immunity in acts committed during his term of office or related to the exercise of office, But he was not protected from causes linked to events before or after his government.
(The new law) is a general guarantee to ensure that Putin’s successor will not seek revenge
Experts agree that it is not uncommon for someone like Putin, who has been in power for more than 20 years and possibly believes he could be persecuted, to introduce such a change in legislation.
“It’s not uncommon, there could be a lot of research (…) on corruption issues and the issue of Russia’s actions against opponents,” Aymeric, a mature professor, told EL TEMPS International Relations of the Javerian University, emphasizing that the new law is “a general guarantee to ensure that Putin’s successor will not seek revenge” or delegitimize their actions.
Luisa Lozano, a professor at the Faculty of Law and Political Science at Savannah University, told this newspaper that Putin has historically been questioned for events, such as disappearances or imprisonments, committed in some wars led by Russia.
According to Lozano, the extension of immunity is not a surprise, since Putin has ruled Russia for a long time “No more restrictions” and this responds to the fear that the president has of what could happen if he leaves office.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev are addressing United Russia militants in Moscow.
Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s leader between 2008 and 2012, was the target of several anti-corruption investigations, carried out by opposition leader Aleksei Navalni, when his term ended. But, fortunately, Medvedev will also benefit from the new legal measure.
Analysts estimate that if Putin began to be investigated for some reason, The risk of being deprived of your immunity would be minimal. Previously, the loss of this occurred if the Russian Instruction Committee initiated criminal proceedings for a serious crime committed during the exercise of the office and this was sanctioned by the Federal Assembly (parliament).
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With the ratification of the law, this can only happen through a decision of the Senate, which must have an indictment imposed by the lower house and supported by two-thirds in Parliament.
Besides, charges must be upheld by the Supreme Court or the Constitutional Court and, once that happens, the Senate cannot take another three months to give a verdict.
According to Maturity, for Putin to be stripped of his protection is a “totally impossible” fact, as the institutions involved in the process are under his control and have significant presidential power that was strengthened with the constitutional changes passed this year.
What we want to protect is Putin’s legacy, that there can be no risk of it being erased …
For his part, Mauricio Jaramillo, professor of International Relations at the University of the Rosary, said that “nothing is impossible in politics” and that what is finally being tried to do with the law is reduce the possibility of a successful trial against Putin.
However, another big goal comes along. Putin also signed a law that allows former presidents to serve as life senators, and that, alongside the one that gives them immunity, becomes a way to protect their legacy.
“What we want to protect is Putin’s legacy, that there can be no risk of it being erased, either by way of a legal process against him, that is why immunity, or because Russia will reach a another prime minister or another president and take a different path, “said Jaramillo, who added that the idea that Putin to become a senator for life means ensuring that “the tradition of presidents is present in Russian politics in the long run.”
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For this expert, the three main implications of the two laws are the strengthening of the presidential model imposed on Russia, the “fashion” in the world of judging presidents who leave office and the possible incidence of Putin in the country’s political system if he leaves power.
But Putin has not spoken directly about the latter possibility. Nor on that of running for a fifth term, although the same package of constitutional amendments opened the possibility of being re-elected for two more terms.
Thus, while it is not yet clear whether he will continue as president or serve as a senator, what his actions suggest is that he wants to have several paths available. Experts point out that he will only stop ruling because of health problems and the end of his political life, which in any case gives him security, is still far away.
PAULA VALERIA GALL *
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
* With information from AFP and Efe
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