Putin Is Dealt Setback on Reform Measure

In Russian President Vladimir V. Putin’s first major political setback, regional leaders voted down his proposal to strip them of their seats in parliament, part of his ambitious plan to curb the rights of the provinces. The governors and heads of local legislatures who make up the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, voted 129 to 13 to reject the bill, which would replace them with appointed legislators. The bill also would remove the regional leaders’ immunity from prosecution. The lower house, or Duma, passed the bill by a wide margin and probably can override the upper house’s veto with a two-thirds majority.