Putin’s Russia – Constitutional Coup: How Did Putin Pave His Way to Power Until 2036?

How did an unremarkable KGB officer become one of the most powerful and controversial leaders in the world? In this special series of the 4 Minutes podcast, we closely follow Vladimir Putin’s rise to power – from his childhood in Soviet Leningrad to his intelligence career and the key moments of his rule that reshaped Russia and the world. What events shaped his policies? What are the roots of the current conflict? And what does the future hold for Russia?

Join us for this compelling series and understand how Putin’s Russia came to be. 🎙️

Transcript

Welcome to another episode of our series Putin’s Russia. In this episode, we take a closer look at a turning point in modern Russian history – the year 2020, when Vladimir Putin changed the Russian constitution to open the path for him to remain in power until 2036. Many have called this move a silent coup, effectively removing the last remaining checks and balances of democracy.

Putin has held power continuously since 2000, either as president or prime minister. After serving two presidential terms from 2000 to 2008, the constitution prevented him from running again. He then swapped roles with Dmitry Medvedev and later returned to the presidency, this time with extended six-year terms. In 2020, the next step came – an amendment to the constitution itself.

Officially, it was presented as a "package of reforms" meant to modernize Russia’s legal framework. It included provisions such as minimum wage guarantees, references to faith in God, and a ban on same-sex marriage. But the most crucial point was hidden in a small clause: the reset of Vladimir Putin’s presidential terms. This meant he could run for two more terms and potentially stay in power until 2036 – when he would be over 80 years old.

The vote on these amendments took place as a nationwide referendum – but it came with numerous serious issues. There was no international monitoring, opposition voices were virtually absent from state media, and thousands of cases were reported involving voter coercion, ballot stuffing, and pre-filled voting slips. Many independent organizations questioned the legitimacy of the results – officially, over 78% voted in favor with a reported turnout of more than 65%. But in a country where the state controls the media and the opposition is weakened, the line between the people’s will and well-orchestrated theater becomes increasingly blurred.

Putin himself had repeatedly said that he was not interested in ruling for life. In the past, he stated that “only a dictator clings to power forever” and that “every healthy political system needs leadership turnover.” That made it all the more shocking when he signed constitutional changes allowing him to stay in power for another 16 years. This transition from temporary leader to de facto ruler for life revealed a long-term strategy: dismantle opposition, control media, rewrite the rules, and secure unlimited authority.

By 2020, Russia had virtually no viable political opposition. Independent candidates were regularly barred from elections, often for trivial technicalities or by being labeled as “foreign agents.” Public assemblies and protests were severely restricted, and those who protested faced fines, arrests, or worse. The internet was increasingly censored, and state propaganda pushed the idea that stability was more important than freedom.

One particularly telling aspect of the process was how the amendments were approved even by figures who once called themselves liberals or reformers. Parts of the parliament that previously acted as symbolic opposition voted in favor. Those who didn’t, either remained silent or left the country.

The 2020 constitutional change was not just a legal maneuver – it was a declaration of power. It signaled that the regime intended to entrench itself permanently and that Putin was determined to complete his historical mission: to restore Russia’s greatness, even at the cost of civil liberties. These changes laid the groundwork for everything that followed – from the intensification of repression to preparations for war.

In the next episode, we’ll explore how Putin used propaganda, education, media, and the military to militarize Russian society. How public language changed, and why it was already clear by then that Russia was preparing for confrontation.

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Thank you for listening – we’ll see you next time.