Two attempts to alter standing constitutions resulted in split decisions this weekend.
By a slim 51% - 49% margin, voters in Venezuela rejected the 69 amendments proposed by President Hugo Chavez. Had the result gone the other way, Chavez would have remained in power for life.
And, in Russia, Vladimir Putin's United Russia Party swept parliamentary elections on Sunday, raising the question: Exactly what Putin's leadership role will be when his presidential term expires next year?
