Russian President, Vladimir Putin, has approved a law regarding constitutional changes that could potentially extend his presidency for another 16 years.
Last week, the 67-year-old Putin appeared in parliament to support an amendment that would allow him to bypass a constitutional prohibition on running for re-election in 2024.
In a statement, the Kremlin disclosed that Putin endorsed the constitutional changes on Saturday, just three days after it was ratified by the Russian parliament with only one dissenting vote.
The Russian public will now have the opportunity to vote on the amendments to the constitution, with the nationwide referendum scheduled for April 22.
Under the current law, Putin would be ineligible for the presidency in 2024 due to term limits. However, the new measure would pave the way for him to seek two additional six-year terms.
If approved, this decision would extend Putin’s rule of Russia for 36 years, marking the longest tenure in the country’s modern history. He has been in power since 2000.