Lawmakers in Russia’s lower house of parliament voted to approve legislation that would give former presidents lifetime immunity from prosecution. The law must now obtain the approval of the upper-house Federation Council in a single reading before Putin can sign it into law. The proposal is part of a larger set of constitutional reforms announced by President Vladimir Putin, which include also a provision that would reset Putin’s term limits and allow him to serve two more six-year terms in office.
If the law is passed, an ex-president can only be stripped of immunity if the State Duma brings charges of high treason or other felonies against them. If those charges are approved by the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court, the Federation Council would then vote on whether or not to strip the ex-president of immunity within three months.
