Russia's Yakutia Republic Moves To Eliminate 'President' Title

Lawmakers in Russia's Republic of Yakutia in east Siberia have voted to eliminate the republic's presidential title and the post of vice president.

According to constitutional amendments approved by parliament on April 30, Yakutia's leader would be called Il Darkhan -- "Head of the Republic."

The vice president's post would be eliminated completely.

The amendments still require the signature of the republic's President Yegor Borisov.

Several regions of the Russian Federation have changed the titles of their leaders from president in recent years.

The idea was initiated in 2010 by the leader of Russia's North Ossetia-Alania Republic, Taimuraz Mamsurov, and the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, who said that there should be only one "president" in Russia.

But in some Russian republics, like Tatarstan, there is reluctance to change the name of the republic's highest post.

Based on reporting by argumenty.ru and ITAR-TASS