Duma passes Putin's reform abolishing local elections

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-29 04:14pm

Russian Parliament Backs Electoral Reform

By MIKE ECKEL
Associated Press Writer

October 29, 2004, 1:34 PM EDT

MOSCOW -- Russia's lower house of parliament gave tentative backing Friday to a key electoral reform proposed by President Vladimir Putin following a series of recent terror attacks that have killed hundreds and stunned Russians.

The State Duma, dominated by the Kremlin-backed United Russia party, voted 365-64 to abolish the direct election of regional governors -- one of several reforms that Putin says are necessary to strengthen the state against the threat of terrorism. More than 430 people were killed in the Beslan school hostage seizure and other attacks in August and September.

Friday's vote was the first of three readings on the legislation, which ultimately would result in governors being appointed by Putin and then confirmed by local legislatures. The Russian president is also seeking an end to the direct election of parliament members in local constituencies.

The Kremlin has said eliminating governors' direct election would strengthen the government's fight against terrorism by pushing out wayward or corrupt regional leaders and streamlining investigations. Pro-government lawmakers said the reforms would strengthen a government that has been weakened over time.

"Our goal is to switch from a patchwork, eroded federation to a .... united and indivisible Russia," said Dmitry Rogozin of the Rodina, or Homeland faction.

Opposition and liberal parties criticize the proposals as an attack on democracy and say the Kremlin is seeking only to consolidate power.

"They cynically used the Beslan tragedy in order to push it through the parliament," said communist lawmaker Ivan Melnikov during the debate on the proposal. "All these measures will lead to concentration of power in the hands of one man. ... The law infringes upon the power of people and expands presidential power."

Before the vote, more than 100 people gathered near the parliament to protest the legislation.

Earlier, in a report before lawmakers, Russia's chief prosecutor, Vladimir Ustinov, proposed other measures such as detaining terrorists' relatives to prevent attacks. He said existing legislation makes it hard to combat terrorism effectively and that detaining family members could be an effective tool in negotiations.

"Detaining relatives and showing terrorists what may happen to their relatives could help save people's lives, so let's not close our eyes or put a diplomatic face on it," Ustinov said. "When you live by the sword, you die by the sword."

Lawmakers had summoned Ustinov and other top law enforcement officials to report on the investigation into the September seizure of the school in Beslan. Heavily armed militants seize the school and held more than 1,200 people hostage for three days. The crisis ended in a burst of explosions and gunfire, with more than 330 people dying.

Ustinov also suggested streamlined judicial proceedings in terrorist trials, although he didn't explain what that would entail.
Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press

Linky.

It is done. Russia is now a dictatorship. Go Putin!

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-10-29 04:22pm

yep, that feeling of being safe and secure went up again.

whee.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2004-10-29 04:27pm

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2004-10-29 04:32pm

So is President Putin now to be referred to as General Secretary Putin or Tsar Putin?

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-29 04:34pm

President for Life Putin.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-10-29 04:44pm

Our goal is to switch from a patchwork, eroded federation

I liked that bald faced lie there. Yes allowing people to vote for their state governors has always hampered the power and unity of the federal government in mordern America and Canada and other nations with such divisons.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2004-10-29 04:46pm

Sir Sirius wrote:So is President Putin now to be referred to as General Secretary Putin or Tsar Putin?

Could be Chairman Putin, if he's Chairman of the Presidium rather than General Secretary of the Communist Party.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-29 04:50pm

And guess what, the results are evident already:

Look no further

Russian HR Activists Demand St. Petersburg Governor Matviyenko Resign for Monarchist Statement
Created: 26.10.2004 13:58 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 13:58 MSK

MosNews

Representatives of the Russian movement For Human Rights have issued a statement calling for the resignation of St. Petersburg governor Valentina Matviyenko. The HR activists criticized the governor for a recent interview in which she said that it was natural for the Russian people to live under authoritarian rule.

In her interview with the the Itogi (Results) weekly Matviyenko said that she was against the republican form of state rule in Russia. “No, this will not suit us, we are not ready for such an experiment. A Russian person’s mentality requires a lord, a czar, a president… authoritarian rule in general.”

The statement circulated by For Human Rights reads that its members were outraged by this statement, as it publicly disgraced Russia and the national dignity of the Russian people. The campaigners see the words of the governor as a formula that testifies for the fact that Russians can only be serfs. Placing the president in the same line means that the representatives of the new Russian authorities see the president not as a democratic leader, but as an authoritarian ruler, the statement reads.

“The scandalous statement by Valentina Matviyenko demonstrates the real attitude of the authorities to the people, the real sense of the ongoing reform of the state power,” the statement reads.

“We demand the immediate resignation of Valentina Matviyenko. We call for all democratic forces in Russia to jointly demand the resignation of all officials who speak against the democratic freedoms guaranteed by the constitution or justify the abolishment of the principles of democracy. By protecting their rights and freedoms, its civil dignity, the peoples of Russia will prove that they are no serfs, not the subjects of tyrants of a large and small caliber,” the statement reads

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2004-10-29 04:55pm

So, how long till the Russian UN ambassador pushes the red button next to his country name panel thing... like in the simpsons episode...

UCBooties · Post by **UCBooties** » 2004-10-29 05:13pm

Funny Simpson's reference aside, this is a culmination of what Putin's wanted from the beginning. (Fgalkin if I get any of this wrong please let me know immediately) When Putin was elected he promised to strengthen the government, to bring back strong leadership, and to end the corrupting influences on said government by bringing extraneous government agencies under central control. The prevailing theory for this from American political comparative thinkers is that the Russians were more displeased after the fall of the USSR than while the reds were in power. They noted during the months after the fall that while they had not been free under the soviets, there had been jobs and food. Since the majority of Russians grew up in a system which guaranteed some measure of stability, they have grown impatient with a Democratic government which has been unable to deal with massive economic problems, corruption, crime, scandal, and terrorism. So they want a more powerful, more central leader, who can take strides to definitively solve the nations problems. Fgalkin, that’s the view from over here, how does that scan for you?

Luzifer's right hand · Post by **Luzifer's right hand** » 2004-10-29 05:13pm

Shamelessly stolen from another board I post on.

The Russian Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just recieved word that Emperor Putin has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the New Republic have been swept away.

UCBooties · Post by **UCBooties** » 2004-10-29 05:17pm

While i wait for Fgalkin to let me know if I've misread the situation, I think I'll go air out the Bomb Shelter.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-10-29 05:28pm

Man, Bush must be green with envy.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-29 07:12pm

UCBooties wrote:Funny Simpson's reference aside, this is a culmination of what Putin's wanted from the beginning. (Fgalkin if I get any of this wrong please let me know immediately) When Putin was elected he promised to strengthen the government, to bring back strong leadership, and to end the corrupting influences on said government by bringing extraneous government agencies under central control. The prevailing theory for this from American political comparative thinkers is that the Russians were more displeased after the fall of the USSR than while the reds were in power. They noted during the months after the fall that while they had not been free under the soviets, there had been jobs and food. Since the majority of Russians grew up in a system which guaranteed some measure of stability, they have grown impatient with a Democratic government which has been unable to deal with massive economic problems, corruption, crime, scandal, and terrorism. So they want a more powerful, more central leader, who can take strides to definitively solve the nations problems. Fgalkin, that’s the view from over here, how does that scan for you?

While I have left Russia before Putin came to power, I can confirm that this is pretty much true. However, Putin has not been able to any of the things he has promised. In Russia, the government works not only by the written rules, but also by many unwritten ones, including one that states that everyone must gather dirt on everyone else to keep their power in check. That is why Putin has been unable to do anything with the local corruption, mob bosses openly being elected into the legistlature, etc. However, replacing everyone with his men isn't that much better, because a) they are just as corrupt, and b) they are not qualified to run a country. How can you have, say, a former KGB colonel, run a city or a province? And now Putin's plan calls for abolishing elections on the city level, as well as to the local legislatures.

All in all, the people are not going to be better off in any way, but Putin will be happy, becuase Russia will return to the Good Old Days, for him at least.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-10-30 12:07am

It is done. Russia is now a dictatorship. Go Putin!

How can it be a dictatorship when last I checked, elections at the Federal level still take place, there are still multiple political parties, a Duma/Parliament, and a limited term of office for the President? When all that changes, it's a dictatorship. Until then, it's a (dysfunctional) democracy.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-30 12:54am

Its a defacto dictatorship. Most of the government is controlled by the KGB, there is no free press, there are no oligarchs who oppose Putin, 2/3 of the Duma is controlled by Putin's party (and acts as a rubber stamp for his descisions) etc. It may be a democracy on paper, but that's all it is.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-10-30 01:21am

If Putin were to lose an election (paper shedder failure or whatever) would he use force to hold on to power?

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2004-10-30 01:24am

frigidmagi wrote:If Putin were to lose an election (paper shedder failure or whatever) would he use force to hold on to power?

yes.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-10-30 01:25am

If possible I like to hear from the Resident Russian.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2004-10-30 02:24am

That is a very good question. Honestly, I do not know. Putin has announced he will not run for a third term, but of course, he has said many things before, and conviniently forgot them later. He may have the Duma change the Constitution allowing him to run again. If that happens, he will not lose the election no matter what. he is actually quite popular in Russia, and he makes sure anyone who can rival him in popularity doesn't run, or uses the old shredder trick. That's how he got re-elected. If he decides to go, on the other hand, he will probably appoint a successor who will continue his policies, and he will infulence Russia from behind the scenes. As for your question, I do not know. It would depend on many factors, such as his popularity in the military, his popularity among the people, etc.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin