Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, convened on November 21, 2008. The State Duma approved Friday constitutional changes to extend presidential and parliamentary terms from four to six and five years respectively. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    MOSCOW, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, passed a bill extending the presidential term from four years to six on Friday, 16 days after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev put forth the initiative in his first state-of-the-nation address.

    The approval was a clear signal that the country's mainstream political forces were eager to see an extension of the presidential term, analysts said.

    CERTAIN TO BE APPROVED

    Technically, the State Duma's approval of the proposal was beyond doubt, because the Kremlin-friendly United Russia party, headed by Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, holds about two-thirds of the seats in the lower house.

    To enter into force, the draft law has to be approved by three-quarters of the Federation Council, the upper house of parliament, and by two-thirds of regional legislatures. Taking the United Russia party's influence into account, analysts believe that the constitutional amendments are certain to take place.

    The bill would be passed by the upper house Wednesday and then be voted on by regional legislatures within a month, an anonymous official of the Federation Council said, adding that it would become effective by the end of this year.

    Alexander Kosopkin, the Russian presidential envoy in the State Duma, described the constitutional changes as "a package on strategic development" and expressed the belief that the bill would be passed after a period of public debate.

　　DISPUTE REMAINS

    In the third and final reading of the bill in the lower house, 392 deputies voted for the constitutional changes while 57, all members of the Communist Party, voted against.

    However, Nololai Riapov, a Communist Party representative in the State Duma, criticized the bill's reaching the State Duma without being approved by the Russian people first in a referendum, which should have been organized for constitutional amendments, thus violating the principles of democracy.

    There were also worries that the move might lead to the abuse of constitutional amendments and undermine the authority of the constitution.

    However, those in favor of the proposals believe that the extension of the presidential and parliamentary terms would help the future president and State Duma decide which direction the country should take.

    It would be conducive to Russia's gradual and stable development and ensure the continuity of policies, said Oleg Morozov, the first vice speaker of the State Duma.

    Latest polls show that most Russians back Medvedev's proposals to extend the presidential and parliamentary terms.

    Some 67 percent of respondents believe that the constitutional amendments are acceptable, while 19 percent are against them, according to the All Russian Center for Public Opinion Studies.

　　PUTIN'S PLANS

    The lower house approved the draft law within less than two weeks of Medvedev's submission of it, indicating that it chose the latter between maintaining the "existing pattern" of democracy and ensuring national interests.

    Mainstream public opinion has also given priority to Russia's emergence as a world power.

    In his state-of-the-nation address, Medvedev said the extension of the presidential term was necessary to enable the government to implement reforms more effectively.

    Arkady Dvorkovich, a presidential aide, said in an interview with the Russia Today television channel that the extension is directly connected with current needs of the Russian economy.

    "The prolonging of the presidential term is connected with the needs of the Russian economy and not with personal needs or opinions. The longer presidential term will better serve Russia in the coming decades," Dvorkovich said.

    However, Medvedev's proposals were seen by some analysts as an attempt to pave the way for Putin to return to the Kremlin.

    If Putin decides to return, he would be looking at up to 12 years in power, long enough to carry out his plans, which would bring more democracy and freedom to the country.

    It seems that the approval of a longer presidential term is just a step toward realizing Putin's plans for a stronger Russia, analysts say.