Why is Putin changing the constitution?

This week's vote is more than just a power grab, Oliver Carroll says

Election officials working in hazmat suits is evidence that voting isn’t safe in the middle of a pandemic (Alexander Ryumin/TASS)

This week, Vladimir Putin is sending Russians to the polls to vote on constitutional amendments that will, among other things, allow him to stay on in power after term limits expire in 2024.

The vote is extraordinary in so many respects. It is being pushed in the middle of a pandemic – the election officials working in hazmat suits is evidence enough that things aren’t entirely safe. It is spread over an unprecedented seven days – a reflection of the public’s lack of enthusiasm to vote.

It is also legally unnecessary, with the new constitution already approved by parliament, signed off by the president, and even available to buy in bookshops across the country.