COMMUNIST PRESIDENT WOULD INTRODUCE "MORE SOVIET" CONSTITUTION.

Gennady Seleznev, speaker of the Russian Duma, confirmed in an interview published this week that the first priority of a Communist president would be to introduce a new and "more Soviet" constitution. (1) Seleznev is a leading member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation which, he said recently, sees the institution of the presidency as "alien to our state." (2) The main feature of the new constitution would be the abolition of the post of president and the re-creation of a hierarchy of local soviets. Executive functions would be exercised by a Council of Ministers appointed by and accountable to parliament, which would revert to its old name of Supreme Soviet. Seleznev said that, once the draft of the new constitution had been put to a nationwide referendum, the Duma would be dissolved and fresh elections to the new Supreme Soviet would be held.

Russia’s Human Rights Situation Deteriorating, Presidential Commission Reports.