One of the most important conditions for the development of the state is the identity of its leader. The presidential term, as practice has shown, should be sufficient so that a person holding a senior position has time to not only get on the course, but also to implement the program with which he went to the polls. Political scientists have different attitudes to this factor. Many criticize the increase in the presidential term in Russia. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to deal with this in more detail. Democratic principles cannot be unified, no matter how the elite strives for this. What is good for a small state does not work in the vast vast Russia. And this should be taken into account when forming its legislation.
Presidential term: definition and main features
The Russian Federation is a young state, in terms of the adoption of the fundamental law. The term "presidential term" first appeared in 1991. It was then that the institution of the head of state was introduced for the first time. At that time, the old basic law was in force, into which all the necessary changes were introduced. The first presidential term in Russia was five years. Elected to this position B. N. Yeltsin. By 1993, a new Constitution was developed. She was adopted by popular vote. This document changed the presidential term by four years. What was the need for such a solution, the people were not told. The fact is that democratic principles were still new to the population. There were no specialists with sufficient theoretical training and practical experience to justify the length of work of the head of state. The developers relied on the history of foreign countries. One way or another, but the president has since been elected for four years. Practice has shown that this time is not enough for the leader to translate his program into reality.
Presidential Candidate Requirements
Let's step back a little from the topic and remember who can take the main post. All this is spelled out in the Constitution. The following requirements are applied to the candidate for the main position in the country:
- over thirty five years old;
- citizenship of the Russian Federation;
- residence in the country for the past 10 years;
- knowledge of one of the European languages;
- lack of criminal record;
- the availability of the election program.
These are formal rules in order to qualify for the top post of head of state. The most important thing, also written down in the Constitution, is the support of the population. The president is elected by popular vote. This is the only position to which the highest democratic principle applies. Therefore, a presidential term in Russia can only be obtained by a person who has managed to prove to his fellow citizens his loyalty, wisdom, and the ability to lead the country to its development.
2008 changes
The practice of state activity has shown that four years is not enough to carry out the necessary reforms and have a sufficient impact on the changing socio-economic situation. It should be noted that the President of the Russian Federation has a tremendous influence on all processes. He has more power than the heads of other democracies. Incidentally, this takes into account the tradition of Russia. In her story there were no managers who achieved something in a short time. Such a huge state is characterized by inertia. Change is going pretty hard. To demonstrate the result of work to the voter, more time is needed. In 2008, then-President D.A. Medvedev took the initiative to amend the constitution regarding the powers of the head of state.This period, according to the decision, was extended to six years. Moreover, the current, already elected, the head of the country did not affect the change. According to the law, the president has been elected for six years only since 2012. The country voted for V.V. Putin.
Second Presidential Term
Due to the difficult international situation, quite a lot of speculation in unfriendly media is devoted to the time of V.V. Putin in power. We will not dwell on them in detail, just analyze the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. According to the basic law, a person can be elected to the main post in the country no more than two times in a row. We’ll clarify: when he ends his presidential term, he has the right to run again. It is up to the people to decide who to hold office. When the next (second) term ends, then the person can no longer claim this position. This will be a violation of the law. This happened in 2008. Vladimir Putin, having worked for the president for two consecutive terms, did not run for office again. He supported the candidacy of Dmitry Medvedev. And in 2012, to the delight of the people, took part in the election campaign.
Presidential Terms
The activities of a person holding the highest position in the country are subject to the law from the first to the last day. This means that his term of office is strictly defined. According to the constitution, it is counted from the day of the inauguration. This is the date when the chosen candidate solemnly takes the oath to the people of Russia. The event should be attended by members:
- Council of Federation.
- Constitutional Court.
- Deputies of the State Duma.
Under current law, six years are counted from this day, unless other circumstances arise.
Early Termination
They mean the constitutionally enshrined right of the State Duma to express distrust of the president. Such a procedure in the Russian Federation has never been carried out. The deputies should hypothetically accuse the head of state of treason, having serious grounds and an evidence base for this. The Constitutional Court is involved in resolving the issue.
Why extend the term of government?
Let's look at the situation sensibly. We live in a very complex world, an important part of which is the Russian Federation. The country has deep economic ties with other states, and is actively foreign policy. Nobody denies the influence of Russia on world politics. Elections are a serious stress for the state. A change of leader impedes the country's development process. Therefore, it is advisable to give time to the political system for stable work in the chosen direction. And it should be sufficient to achieve at least intermediate results. The head of the country determines the main directions of both external and domestic policy. On his shoulders, in simple terms, the whole country. To shift such a colossus from one to the other shoulders means, for a while, to stop all processes. And this is dangerous in modern conditions, when the world faces a whole series of common, global threats.
Conclusion
We have found out how long the presidential term is in the Russian Federation. It has changed over time. Today it is six years old. They count it from the date of the inauguration of the president. It should be noted that Russia has not yet been building democracy. The country has more serious traditions, rooted over the centuries of the existence of society, that have a significant impact on the institution of the presidency. People believe that the head of state has unlimited possibilities, like a pre-revolutionary king. This is both good and bad at the same time. Agree, people take seriously and responsibly the choice of a person endowed with such rights in popular thoughts. A random candidate who does not meet the aspirations of the majority of the population has no chance. On the other hand, people demand from the incumbent head of the country the impossible. But what are they doing to improve their lives? Have you tried to figure it out?
