Alexei Navalny

, the Russian government has resigned, hours After President Vladimir Putin proposed sweeping constitutional changes that extended His stay in Power .

If approved by The Public , the proposals would transfer Power from The Presidency to the Parliament.

Mr Putin is due to step down in 2024, when His fourth term of office comes to an end.

But there is speculation that he might try a new role or hold on to Power behind the scenes.

Mr Putin laid out His plans in His annual speech on The State of The Nation 's lawmakers. Later, in an unexpected move, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev announced that the government Will facilitate the withdrawal in order to help the changes.

the Russian government sources, the BBC said that the Minister , through the government, the resignation before The Announcement .

"It was a complete surprise," a source said.

The Russian Head of state said in a speech before both chambers of the Parliament, that it is a national-wide vote on changes that would shift Power from The Presidency to the Parliament.

Constitutional reforms, the lower house of Parliament, the State Duma , "greater responsibility" for The Appointment of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

Currently, The President appoints the Prime Minister and the Duma approves the decision.

Mr. Putin also suggested an increased role for an Advisory body, The Council of state. The Council , which is currently under The Presidency of Mr. Putin, the Head of the Russian Federal regions. Mr Putin said it had effectively "extremely".

Other measures are:

Mr Medvedev has made His announcement on state television with President Putin, who was sitting next to him.

"These changes, if Adopted . introduce significant changes not only to a whole series of articles in The Constitution , but also to the whole of the balance of Power , the Executive Power , The Power of the legislature, The Power of the judiciary," Mr Medvedev said Mr Putin's proposals.

"In this connection. the government in its current form is resigned. "

Mr Putin thanked Mr Medvedev for His work, but she said "not all" had been achieved.

He asked Mr Medvedev, Deputy Head of the National Security Council under the chairmanship of Mr Putin.

The President later nominated tax to replace the service's chief Mikhail Mishustin , Mr Medvedev as Prime Minister .

Mr Medvedev's Prime Minister for several years. He served previously as President from 2008 to 2012, switching roles with Mr. Putin - a close Ally - After the latter served His first two terms as President. Russia's Constitution only allows presidents to serve two consecutive terms.

Even when he was Prime Minister , Mr Putin was widely considered to be the force behind the then-President Medvedev.

the leader of the opposition and leading Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said he believes that any people would vote on the amendments to The Constitution "fraudulent crap". He said Mr. Putin's goal was to be "the sole leader For Life ".

The Last time Russia held a referendum, in 1993, when it Adopted The Constitution , which, under President Boris Yeltsin , Mr Putin, His predecessor.

Mr Putin became acting President following Mr. Yeltsin's resignation in 1999, and was officially inaugurated a year later. He held the reins of Power as President or Prime Minister since.

President Putin likes stability. It's His thing. So the newsflash is that the entire government had resigned, was a big surprise. From the online chatter, it seems that even the Minister didn't see that coming. For a moment it was like a flashback in Russia in the 1990S , when President Yeltsin, Prime Minister changed as easily as His socks. Vladimir Putin is no Yeltsin, though, and this move looks to be part of a larger plan, which is all about the consolidation and extension of His Power .

Under the current rules, Mr Putin must step down as President in 2024, and it is never clear what he would do next. This is still true. But the constitutional he tweaks the proposed instructions for some options. He joined the status of the little-known Council of state, which he already has The Heads . Or he could be back at, now he is weakened a little, the powers of the Russian President

If he is sticking around, maybe he needs to be palatable, that people given The Social and economic problems, he had to make the list again in His annual address to The Nation . If Mr Putin 2024 blamed for their suffering, the Russians might ask why they should keep him swallowed, post. Dmitry Medvedev - often useful to Mr Putin - for now as a scapegoat to skip.

In His address to the Parliament, The President unveiled a series of plans to increase The Number of children born in Russia. As several Eastern European States, Russia, the rate is struggling with a decline in fertility.

Last year, Mr Putin tax promised relief for larger families.

On Wednesday, he promised state support for young mothers, a range of The Number of children born, from an average of less than 1. 5 per woman 1. 7 within four years.

the so-called "maternity capital" is paid to families with at least Two Children .

social benefits Will be for children aged three to seven low-income families, and free school meals, the school paid for The First four years of school.

the Russian population has struggled to recover from a dramatic decline in the 1990S .

Source of news: bbc.com