JRL NEWSWATCH: “Talk of an early retirement for Vladimir Putin is premature; Speculation rose after parliament passed a law granting immunity from prosecution to former presidents and their families” – Financial Times/ Henry Foy

“The future prospects of any strongman leader often boil down to two choices: guaranteed safe passage to civilian life with legal protection, or life-long rule. … Putin, … [soon] mark[ing] 21 years in charge[,] … has engineered a situation [with] a shot of achieving either. … [T]his week … the country’s parliament rubber-stamped a law granting immunity from investigation or […]
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