The Russian parliament’s lower house, the Duma, has backed a bill granting Russian presidents and their families immunity from prosecution after they quit .
It is among constitutional amendments approved during a referendum in July. Supporters of President Putin dominate both houses of parliament.
Mr Putin’s fourth term ends in 2024, but the amendments allow him to run two more terms.
He is 68 and has no obvious successor.
The immunity bill revives speculation about Mr Putin’s political future. He has been in power since 2000, exercising huge influence and patronage.
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His arch-critic Alexei Navalny tweeted: “Why does Putin need an immunity law now?” then he asked: “Can dictators step down of their own free will?”
The bill passed a primary reading within the Duma on Tuesday, where most MPs belong to the pro-Putin United Russia party. Thirty-seven Communist MPs voted against.
There will be two more Duma readings, then it goes to the Federation Council (upper house) and Mr Putin himself to be signed off.
Under the immunity provisions, a former president and his family would have immunity from any police searches or questioning, or any confiscation of their property.
They would not be prosecuted for any crimes committed in their lifetime, apart from alleged acts of treason or other grave crimes in exceptional circumstances.
Currently the sole living Russian ex-president is Mr Putin’s ally Dmitry Medvedev.
Ex-Soviet President Gorbachev wouldn’t get such immunity, because he wasn’t Russian president.
United Russia MP Pavel Krasheninnikov, one among the bill’s authors, said the aim was to offer a president “guarantees… important for the steadiness of the state and society”.
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