Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted to parliament draft amendments to the Constitution which relate to the improvement of the organisation of public government.
Under the draft bill, one person cannot serve as president for more than two terms.
"Article 81 should read as follows: ... The president of the Russian Federation is elected for a six-year term by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage, through a secret vote. One person cannot serve as the president of the Russian Federation for more than two terms," the bill, released on the online database of the lower chamber, reads.
The prime minister, as well as members of the Russian government, will be appointed by the country's president after they are approved by the State Duma, according to the presidential draft bill.
"There is a proposal to introduce into the Russian Constitution's provisions establishing the procedure for the appointment of the Russian prime minister, his deputies, changes according to which candidates for these positions are appointed by the Russian president after approval by the State Duma," an explanatory note to the document says.
This is done "in order to increase the effectiveness of interaction between the representative and executive branches of government, to strengthen the role of the State Duma and parliamentary parties, as well as to increase the responsibility of members of the Russian government," it says.
Under Putin's draft bill, the upper house of the Russian legislature, the Federation Council, will appoint the prosecutor general and his deputies at the recommendation of the president.
"The general prosecutor of the Russian Federation and deputies to the general prosecutor of the Russian Federation are appointed and dismissed by the Federation Council at the recommendation of the president of the Russian Federation," the bill, published on the website of the Russian lower chamber, reads.
According to a lawmaker with knowledge of the issue, the draft bill will be discussed by the State Duma on Thursday.
A draft law on amendments to the Russian Constitution will be put to the all-Russian vote, the text of the draft legislation says.
"The law of the Russian Federation on an amendment to the Constitution of the Russian Federation 'On improving the regulation of certain issues of organising public authority' is put to an all-Russian vote," the draft published in the electronic database of the lower house of parliament said.
On 15 January, Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered his annual state-of-the-nation address and, among other things, suggested several landmark constitutional amendments. His speech was followed by the resignation of the country's government that was announced by the then Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.
