Of course, we stopped being surprised long ago by the kinds of laws this clown show—the Russian State Duma—passes.
But here’s the important thing: we need to remember the day when it is finally adopted:
Today, the State Duma approved on first reading a bill introduced by deputies from the LDPR, the Communist Party, and A Just Russia, expanding the president’s constitutional powers—he will be able to appoint 10% of the members of the Federation Council and remove them from office. The remaining 90% will be appointed under the current rules—two representatives from each region: one from the legislative branch and one from the executive branch of regional government.
http://pravo.ru/news/view/104986/?=1400062984
That will be the day when the principle of separation of powers is finally—and now formally—abolished in Russia. It is foundational to the constitutional order of our country (apparently one now has to add “former”) and of any modern democratic state.
Yes, they may feed you a pile of casuistic nonsense about how the President of the Russian Federation is not the head of the executive branch, but the “head of state.” That changes nothing in substance: a person who appoints ministers, sits with them in meetings, and gives them instructions cannot also appoint members of the Parliament that passes laws.
Of course, from a practical standpoint nothing has changed: the Federation Council was and remains a motley assortment of crooks, thieves, retired bootlicking officials, and oligarchs who bought themselves seats there. The only difference is that now Putin appoints 10% of those thieves by law, rather than, as before, by informal arrangement.
http://www.constitution.ru/10003000/10003000-3.htm
Why Putin needs this is not entirely clear. He already appoints any of his own idiots there anyway. Apparently, what matters to him is the ritual and legal abandonment of that so-hated phrase: "Russia is a democratic state governed by the rule of law with a republican form of government".
People