Mintimer Shaimiev on 25 October criticized one aspect of President Putin\'s proposed political reform to replace the direct election of governors with a system under which local legislatures confirm candidates nominated by the president. Under the proposal, the president would have the option of disbanding a local legislature that twice declined to approve his candidate. Shaimiev argued that \"parliaments are elected by the people.\" \"It does not matter how deputies are elected – by party lists or some other way,\" Shaimiev said. \"They are elected by the people and we should not accept any possibility of disbanding our parliament under any circumstances.\" He added that local legislatures should have the right to express their views on the candidates for governor. The same day, the Tatar State Council described Putin\'s proposed reform as \"a coup d\'etat,\" \"Kommersant-Daily\" reported on 26 October. Shaimiev, however, expressed support for the idea of appointed governors, saying that \"70 percent of the people who have come to power in the regions have demonstrated their bankruptcy and over half of them came to power by unknown means.\" (RFE/RL)