Russian President Vladimir Putin won a resounding victory in his bid to remain in power until 2036 after Russian citizens voted overwhelmingly to endorse the current political climate. Preliminary results show that Putin’s ploy to remain in office for over another decade was favorable among Russians after Wednesday’s voting. The nationwide referendum on constitutional amendments paves the way for Putin to close out his political career with three decades of being president of Russia.
Campaign literature didn’t mention the real purpose of the referendum, which was to keep Putin in power, and rather framed it as a return to old-fashioned family values. This appealed to many of Russia’s conservative voters. The slogan “Our country, our constitution, our decision” was featured on information bulletins explaining the constitutional reform. The brochures also spelled out a range of amendments to be added to the Russian constitution, including one that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
Read More: Russian voters overwhelmingly back a ploy by President Vladimir Putin to rule until 2036
