Vladimir Putin has submitted a draft amendment to Russia’s constitution that would enshrine marriage as between a man and a woman in a conservative update to the country’s founding document, which means that ‘Gay Marriages’ will be ruled out and be made unconstitutional.
The measure was reportedly part of a 24-page document submitted by the president that would also name Russia as the successor to the Soviet Union; explicitly mention Russians’ “faith in God”; and ensure the “defence of historical truth” regarding the Soviet role in the second world war.
The draft submissions have not yet been made public but were described to journalists in a series of briefings by high-ranking members of the Duma, the lower house of the Russian parliament.
“For me, the most important proposal would fix the status of marriage as a union between a man and a woman,” Pyotr Tolstoy, a vice-speaker in the Duma, told reporters on Monday in remarks carried by Russian state news agencies. “And I am happy that this amendment has appeared under the signature of the head of state.”
Russia is planning to amend its constitution for the first time since 1993. Analysts and critics see Putin’s plan to change the constitution as beginning preparations for succession when his current term ends in 2024,while the opposition says the Kremlin strongman wants to remain leader for life.
Putin’s direct support for the amendments makes it likely they will go through. He has taken an increasingly conservative turn in his fourth term as president, and has enjoyed support from both patriotic groups and the Russian Orthodox Church.
But plans for a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage have come together quickly, appearing to crystallize during a speech to politicians last month. “As far as ‘Parent No 1’ and ‘Parent No 2’ goes, I’ve already spoken publicly about this and I’ll repeat it again: as long as I’m president this will not happen. There will be Dad and Mum,” Putin said.
Reports indicate the constitutional changes will likely go to a parliamentary vote in time for them to have a nationwide referendum by mid-April.
And the inclusion of a ban on same-sex marriage is likely to make the new constitution more popular.
A 2019 poll found just 7% of Russians for marriage equality and 87% against. Even 18 to 30-year-olds are 82% against marriage equality and only 12% in favor. Meanwhile, Russia remains one of the toughest places in the world to be LGBT+.
Gay sex has been legal since 1993 with an equal age of consent of 16. Despite this, the satellite state of Chechnya has carried out several round-ups of LGBT+ people. They have tortured and detained LGBT+ people in concentration camps.
And vigilantes frequently target LGBT+ people across Russia.
Russia also has federal laws banning “LGBT propaganda’ towards children. In practice, these are used to stiffel LGBT+ events and silence opposition to the government.
The proposed laws are likely to make it far harder for the LGBT+ community to fight this take their stand.
