Duma bill: governors will be allowed to rule for lifetime

The draft law on regional power has been submitted to the State Duma in support of the provisions of the updated Constitution, Kommersant reports with reference to the press service of the committee of the lower house of parliament on state construction and legislation.

"The document, in particular, removes the ban introduced in 2015 for governors to be elected for two consecutive terms", - the message says.

The duration of one term of office of the head of the constituent entity, as well as of the regional parliament, will be five years. In this case, the top official of the region will be called "the head" with further indication of the name of the subject of the Russian Federation".

The President of the Russian Federation will be able to remove the heads from office. He will also be able to issue a warning or reprimand to guilty governors.

The document introduces restrictions for regional deputies, who from now on will be considered persons who fill "government positions of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation".

Thus, the deputies will be subject to benefits, requirements, restrictions and prohibitions for officials.

The ban on the election of governors for more than two consecutive terms was introduced in 2015, with terms starting in 2012. At the time of the adoption of the document, none of the governors acting at that time had been in charge of the region for more than two terms.

If the bill on the abolition of the number of terms for governors is adopted, the process of democratic turnover of power in the country may slow down.

Earlier, the Constitution of the Russian Federation introduced the institution of senatorship for life. According to the amendment, former presidents of the Russian Federation will be able to enter the Federation Council for life - after the end of their term of office or after the early termination of office in case of resignation. At the same time, they retain the right to refuse the powers of a member of the Federation Council.