Wednesday, 1 July is the last day of voting in Russia on a sweeping constitutional reform that would allow Vladimir Putin to run for two more terms as president. That means he could rule until 2036. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a simplified voting procedure has been put in place with voting spread out over a week and some polling places setting up outdoors. The opposition says these procedures facilitate fraud. Polls suggest 44% of Russians support the constitutional reform.
Those who are against it are caught between a desire for change, and resignation: Russia’s media landscape and public debate is dominated by an unofficial campaign in favour of the “yes” vote.
This report by Elena Volochine, Nigina Beroeva, Alexandra Dalsbaek and Pavel Sergeev.
