Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday submitted a series of new proposals for constitutional amendments, which include a reference to God and describe marriage as a heterosexual union.
Putin proposed amending the Constitution in his January State of the Union address, saying it was necessary to expand the powers of Parliament and "strengthen democracy."
Kremlin opponents have described the proposed changes as part of Putin's bid to stay in power beyond his current six-year term, which ends in 2024.
The Kremlin-controlled parliament last month quickly backed Putin's bill in the first of three required readings, and is due to give it final approval next week, setting the stage for a nationwide vote on April 22.
On Monday, Putin presented 24 pages of additional amendments for a second reading, scheduled for March 10, based on proposals from a Kremlin working group that worked in parallel with lawmakers.
MPs say he included a new article in the Constitution that would "highlight the millennial history of Russia" and promised to honor "ancestors who bequeathed us their ideals and belief in God."
That amendment followed the proposal of the Russian Orthodox Church to add the mention of God to the Constitution.
The Second Amendment describes marriage as "the union of a man and a woman." That wording is consistent with Putin's long-stated opposition to same-sex marriage.
The new set of amendments does not hint, however, at what position Putin might have on the period after the end of his mandate.
The now 67-year-old Russian leader has been in power for more than 20 years, making him the longest-serving head of state after Soviet dictator Joseph Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili Stalin, who headed the CPSU and the USSR from 1927 until his death in 1953.
Bonus video:
