The President of the Russian Federation is the head of state, the supreme commander of the troops. The term for which the president is elected is regulated by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, adopted in 1993.
Article 81 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation
Article 81 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation contains information on how long the president of the country is elected by secret popular vote. Until 2008, the president held his post for 4 years. But while Dmitry Medvedev was in power, this term changed and became equal to 6 years. Article 81 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation was amended accordingly.
When Vladimir Putin was in the highest state power for a second term, he repeatedly put forward a proposal to increase the term of the president. He motivated this by the fact that for four years it is impossible to draw an objective conclusion about the work of the president, since many projects, socio-economic programs require more time to give the first fruits from their introduction.
Putin proposed an amendment to increase the term of the president in some European countries.
The first experience of electing the president for 6 years
Putin became the first president in Russia to hold office for 6 years, from 2012 to 2018. But before changing the term of the president, another amendment was made to the Constitution, which stated the possibility of changing the term of office of the State Duma and the president. Now the Duma in the same composition will sit not four years, but five.
The president of the Russian Federation can be a citizen of the country living on its territory for more than 10 years. There is an age limit - a person must be at least 35 years old. One and the same citizen may be elected for two consecutive terms. The power of the president is the definition of foreign and domestic policy of the state.
The President of the Russian Federation is a representative of the Russian Federation within the country and abroad.
