1/5 The main goal of the vote is for Putin to go directly to the people for an extension of his legitimacy. #Russia #Constitution #Putin
2/5 Although Russia is authoritarian, everybody even among the elite and Putins’ supporters feel a lack of legitimacy in his move.
3/5 Putin was nervous when presenting the main amendment about the reset of the terms count in the Duma, it was something unprecedented even for Russia and took by surprise even his supporters. It was something he had openly denied preparing to do in the past.
4/5 It's clear that he is crossing a red line he has been reluctant to cross before. It is clear that he is violating both the letter and the spirit of the existing law.
5/5 Beyond this red line is a vacuum of legitimacy, and he needs a popular vote to confirm the legitimacy of this unprecedented, even by Russian standards, move.
