Russian Government Resign

[Trunkage]

So... this happened

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/15/russian-government-resigns-putin-seeks-constitutional-shakeup-n1116176

Putin's fifth term might be less certain now. Also, why doesn't he just go back to being PM and control the president from there?

 

[Silvanus]

So... this happened

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/15/russian-government-resigns-putin-seeks-constitutional-shakeup-n1116176

Putin's fifth term might be less certain now. Also, why doesn't he just go back to being PM and control the president from there?

This move is to solidify Putin's stranglehold, not to weaken it.

The Constitution will compel him to step down from the Presidency when his term ends, whereupon (just like he did after his second term) he'll take another role-- PM, or some high-level security position-- and continue to wield de facto control.

This move is merely to ensure that whoever ends up taking the Presidency from him is weakened, so that he wields relatively more power.

It's not the position of the Presidency which truly holds control in Russia at present. It is a specific man, regardless of the position he holds.

 

[Agema]

Putin's fifth term might be less certain now.

Putin has to exit the presidency at the end of his term. By gimping the presidency just before he departs, it increases his ability to retain control, either via the legislature or through party / security machinery.

Poland, for instance, is basically run by a grey eminence Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who is an MP that runs the ruling party although does not hold any ministerial office. That will probably be the sort of thing that Putin aims for, although if he wishes to be more central then he can make himself PM.