Russia must remain a strong presidential republic, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday when asked about a possible transitional period once he steps down in 2024. 

Last week Putin, who under the constitution cannot run for another presidential term, proposed constitutional changes that would give him scope to extend his grip on power after leaving the presidency. 

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The suggestions include reducing the powers of the presidency and beefing up those of the prime minister, prompting speculation that Putin might be eyeing a return to a job he held from 2008 to 2012. 

"Our country, obviously, has to be a strong presidential republic. That's the first thing. And then, we have so many ethnic groups, nationalities, ways of life, it is practically impossible to integrate in the framework of a parliamentary republic," Putin said, in comments which seemed to contradict his last week's message.

The debate

On Thursday, Russia's State Duma was set to discuss the constitutional amendment bill submitted by Putin.

The bill that outlined constitutional changes was submitted to parliament on Monday, just five days after Putin formed a "working group" of 75 people to work on the amendments. 

The State Duma has to vote for the bill in three readings, possibly introducing its own changes, before the bill is approved in the upper house Federation Council and given a final green light by the Kremlin.

'Major renewal'

Earlier on Tuesday, Putin approved a new government, bringing in some fresh faces but retaining many senior ministers, according to the decrees Kremlin published on its website. 

The new team was formed less than a week after Putin unveiled a sweeping shake up of the political system, which led to the resignation of his ally Dmitry Medvedev as prime minister along with the entire government. 

"The most important task is to increase the welfare of our citizens and strengthen our statehood and the position of our country in the world. All these are absolutely attainable goals," Putin told the new government. 

"We have achieved a very balanced government. We have enough people who worked in the previous government, as well as a major renewal."

The previous government headed by Medvedev tendered its resignation last Wednesday, shortly after Putin made an address to the Federal Assembly. A day later, Putin appointed the former head of the Russian Federal Tax Service Mikhail Mishustin as the new prime minister.

(Cover: Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin during a meeting in Moscow, Russia, January 21, 2020. /Reuters Photo)

(With inputs from agencies)