Vyacheslav Volodin praised Putin for his diligence in public service, many achievements and love of Russia. Everything Putin does is for the country, he said, and the whole world agrees.
Putin took office in 2000 and has been the real power in Russia ever since, and now he appears to be gearing up to run for President again in 2018. This is a severe affront to democracy in Russia. As President, Putin has frequently abused the balance of power in government; yet the Duma Speaker offers his unqualified endorsement. As long as there is no constitutional mechanism for decentralizing power, democracy will never be more than just a slogan. Also, the heads of the executive, legislative, judicial and procuratorial branches should be elected, and elections should be free of charge for candidates. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.
