Russian voters on Wednesday approved changes to the constitution that will allow President Vladimir Putin to potentially hold power until 2036, but the weeklong plebiscite was tarnished by widespread reports of pressure on voters and other irregularities, The Associated Press reported.
With three-fourths of all precincts counted, 77.6% voted for the constitutional amendments, according to election officials.
For the first time in Russia, polls were kept open for a week to bolster turnout without increasing crowds casting ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic. The move was denounced by Kremlin critics as an extra tool to manipulate the outcome.
The amendments that would allow Putin to run for two more six-year terms, in 2024 and 2030, are part of a package of constitutional changes that also outlaw same-sex marriage, mention "a belief in God as a core value" and emphasize the primacy of Russian law over international norms.
Voters could not cast ballots on the individual amendments, only on the entire group, noted AP.
Nationwide turnout was reported at 65% of the electorate. READ MORE