Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev submitted his resignation to President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, 15 January, reports AP.
This comes after the president’s State-of-the-Nation address in which he proposed significant changes to the constitution that could allow him to stay in power after his presidency ends.
Russian news agencies said that Putin thanked Medvedev for his work and that he will name him as deputy of the presidential Security Council, according to the news agency.
Putin reportedly asked Medvedev's Cabinet to keep working until the new Cabinet is formed.
The Russian government’s resignation comes shortly after President Putin proposed tweaking the Russian Constitution to increase the powers of parliament and the Cabinet, earlier during the day.
“It will increase the role of parliament and parliamentary parties, powers and independence of the prime minister and all Cabinet members,” Putin told an audience of top officials and lawmakers, reports AP.
Putin, however, also argued that Russia would not remain stable if it were governed under a parliamentary system.
He added that the president should retain the right to dismiss the prime minister and Cabinet ministers, name top defense and security officials, and to be in charge of the military and law enforcement agencies.
(With inputs from AP)
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