Vladimir Putin Proposes Sweeping Changes to Russian Constitution

In Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev resigned Wednesday along with his entire Cabinet in a move that surprised many in Moscow and abroad.

The move came as Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes to expand the power of the parliament and the State Council while weakening the presidency. Critics of Putin say the proposals could help him keep power after his final presidential term ends in 2024.

The Russian parliament is expected to vote today to confirm Putin’s pick for new prime minister, Mikhail Mishustin, a bureaucrat who runs Russia’s tax service.

The Russian newspaper Kommersant has described the recent political shake-up as “the January revolution.”

Democracy Now! is joined by Tony Wood, author of Russia Without Putin: Money, Power and the Myths of the New Cold War. Wood is a member of the New Left Review editorial board. He is also the author of “Chechnya: The Case for Independence.”

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