MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has ordered sweeping changes to Russia's political system to help combat terrorism, but immediately has drawn charges he is exploiting a bloody school siege to boost his personal power.
The Kremlin leader, speaking on Monday in the wake of the hostage drama in Beslan, told top officials he wanted a new election law to limit the number of political parties and to have full control over nominating regional leaders.
Putin said the changes would give the state effective and united authority which was vital after the Beslan tragedy in which more than 320 people, half of them children, were killed in a hostage raid by Chechen rebels in North Ossetia.
"The fight against terrorism should become a national task," he told the joint meeting of government and governors from Russia's 89 regions.
But political opponents accused him of using the drama to shore up his own position.
