In the end, the bill sailed through its first reading in the Duma, passing by a vote of 388 to 58. Fifty-seven of those votes were from Communists, who unanimously opposed the change. The measure must pass two more readings in the lower house, and also be approved by majorities in the upper house and Russia’s regional parliaments.

Image The vote was shown Friday in the State Duma, which passed the first reading of a bill to extend the Russian presidents term. Credit... Mikhail Metzel/Associated Press

Russians were taken by surprise last week when their new president, Dmitri A. Medvedev proposed the term extension, the first substantial amendment to Russia’s Constitution since it was adopted in 1993. The longer presidential term would apply to Mr. Medvedev only if he were re-elected, and speculation abounded that he was paving the way for his powerful predecessor, Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin, to return to the presidency  perhaps before Mr. Medvedev’s four years are up.

In an interview with the French newspaper Figaro this week, Mr. Medvedev was asked whether he might leave office before 2012.

“I am in the process of working right now,” Mr. Medvedev answered. “Why are you pushing me into certain decisions? I can say only one thing for sure, and that is that the new terms will benefit only whoever is elected to the office of the president once the necessary amendments have entered into force.”

Mr. Putin, still Russia’s most popular politician, said that he supported the change and that it had “no personality dimension.”