Kremlin English news | Kremlin, Latest News & Live Updates in English | English News (Latest English News) at Lokmattimes.com

On Thursday, some 432 of 450 lawmakers backed the package of reforms and now have 15 days to suggest modifications before a second reading, reports Efe news.Once approved by both Houses of Parliament, the reforms will, in theory, go to a referendum.Sergey Neverov, the leader of the pro-Kremlin United Russia party said: "I am calling on everyone to support in the first reading the important changes to the Constitution proposed by our national leader Vladimir Putin."They did so, in just two hours.There were no Kremlin-critical voices in the house as the reform passed with 432 in favour, no abstentions and no votes against.The communists, ultra-nationalists, social democrats - the only parties alongside United Russia with parliamentary representation, voted in tandem. There has been no liberal or radical representation in the chamber for more than a decade.Officials have tried to highlight the social policies in the proposed changes, the guarantees on minimum wage and pensions.Other lawmakers were welcoming of the power shift, with the State Duma set to be granted the ability to approve a prime ministerial candidate and the Senate the ability to appoint the attorney general.Several politic and analysts have pointed out that, so long as the president proposes a candidate for prime minister, the Duma will continue to depend on the Kremlin.Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin congratulated lawmakers on demonstrating unanimity and urged them to replicate it in the second reading in just over two weeks.Critics, however, have taken aim at the rush and the lack of transparency surrounding the reform package, which Putin announced last week in his state of union, prompting the resignation of his Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who made way for the sweeping changes to the balance of power.Opposition figure Alexei Navalny, who is banned from holding office, said: "Our authorities like to take the population for idiots, but this time they have surpassed themselves."They organize a national vote that in an absolutely official way will not have the slightest meaning."The social-liberal Yabloko party, which is not represented in the Duma, said it would create an alternative Constitutional Council with lawyers, constitutional law experts and politic to propose amendments.( With inputs from IANS )

KremlinFOLLOW

Kremlin, Latest News

The total number of coronavirus cases in Russia on Wednesday crossed the 300,000-mark with 8,764 fresh cases being reported ... ...

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin returned to work on Tuesday after recovering from the novel coronavirus infection for which he was hospitalised. ...

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has tested positive for coronavirus, which has so far infected more than four million people worldwide. ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday praised the country's efforts in controlling the spread of coronavirus while admitting that the cases are on the rise. ...

Russian President Vladimir Putin remains in "excellent" health amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. ...

The Russian capital of Moscow, Europe's most populous city, is shutting down in an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. ...

The first case of the novel coronavirus has been confirmed in the Kremlin on Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. ...

Russia's State Duma (Lower House of parliament) has approved in record time the first reading of constitutional amendments proposed by President Vladimir Putin, which would siphon powers from the presidency to the government. ...