The Geography and Territories of Russia

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Capital(and largest city)

Moscow

Official language(s)Russian official throughout the country; 27 others co-official in various

regions

Ethnic groups 

Russians 79.8%, Tatars 3.8%, Ukrainians 2%, Bashkirs 1.2%, Chuvash 1.1%, Chechen 0.9%, Armenians 0.8%, Other – 10.4%

Historical Heads of The Soviet Union and Russian Federation

Picture Name Supreme Ruler

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin December 30, 1922 - January 21, 1924

Joseph Stalin1927 - March 5, 1953

Nikita KhrushchevSeptember 7, 1953 - October 14,

1964

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev October 14, 1964 - November 10, 1982

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev March 11, 1985 - December 25, 1991

Leadership of the Russian FederationDates: 1991-1999 2000-2004 2004-2008 2008-

President Boris Yeltsin1991-

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Putin Dimitry Medvedev

Prime Minister Misc. P.M.s until ‘99Vladimir Putin

(1999-2000)

Misc. P.M.s Dimitry Medvedev

(2005-2008)

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Putin Dimitry Medvedev

Current Russian Government

GovernmentFederal semi-presidential

democratic republic

President Dmitry Medvedev

Prime MinisterVladimir Putin

(Independent, but leader of UR)

Chairman of the Federation Council

Sergey Mironov (FR)

Chairman of the State Duma

Boris Gryzlov (UR)

Government of the Soviet State• Communist Party of the Soviet Union- Hierarchical

Structure– Lower bodies elected delegates to higher party organs– Top party organs determined candidates for lower posts– The Politburo- decision making center– Central Committee- broader political elite

• Regional party leaders

– State Structures- Parliamentary System• Little authority at all

– Separation of powers existed only in theory

Russian Constitution• Ratified in 1991

• Established a number or liberal democratic principles– Competitive Elections - Federalism

– Separation of Powers - Civil Liberties

– Independent Judiciary

• Very Strong Presidential Power

• Laid Groundwork for conflict between governing structures

The Executive of the Russian Federation

• Semi Presidential System– Strong Executive Power– Head of State

• Dual Executive- Power shifts between two people, depending on who is in power.

The President• Appointment and Length of Term:

– Elected directly by the people every four years until 2008 when it was changed to every six years.

– 2 consecutive term limit (need to be out 1 to run again)

• Oversees: – Foreign Policy– Relations with regions– Organs of state security

Powers of the President• Commander-In-Chief

– Head of Military

– Right to call state of emergency

– Impose martial law

• Grant pardons

• Call referendum

• Temporarily suspend actions of other organs

– If they act unconstitutionally

• Issue decrees (addressing Contentious issues.

– Have force of law until formal legislation is passed)

– Do not command the respect of law

– Can not violate the Constitution or laws of legislature

– Can, however, be used to bypass a divided Parliament

The National Bureaucracy• Large apparatus• President’s Bureaucracy

– 2000 employees– Duplicates some of the formal agencies of the state– President has created various advisory boards

• Solicit input from• No constitutional status

1) Security Council (like a cabinet)• Foreign Policy and Security (includes P.M.)

2) State Council• Executive Branch Agencies

• Ministries, State Committees, other agencies.• Ministers other than P.M. do not require parliamentary approval

• Patron-Client Networks of S.U still important in Pres Admin.• Leaders insert loyal allies and clients into key positions

The Prime Minister• Appointment and Length of Term:

– Appointed by President of Russia

– Confirmed by the Duma (Lower House of Parliament)• If Duma rejects candidate 3 times, Pres can dissolved Duma

and hold special elections and P.M. immediately appointed anyway

– Serves at pleasure of the President

– Secedes President

• Oversees: – Economy and related Issues

– Heads the government

– Flanked by a number of Deputy P.M.s

Powers of the Prime Minister

• Determines operating priorities of government• Submits proposals (to Pres) regarding:

1) Central institutions of exec. Branch• Ministries & Federal Agencies• Nominates vice P.M.s

2) Performance of Exec Branch Members• Suggests rewards and punishments

• Heads sessions of government• Signs acts of government• Distributes duties of government

The Russian Judiciary• Constitutional Court (est. 1991)

• 19 members appointed by the Executive- confirmed by Federal Council• Decisions are binding (even to President)• Power to adjudicate disputes on the Constitutionality of federal and

regional laws• Settle jurisdictional disputes

• Supreme Court was also created under the constitution…• Final Court of appeals in Criminal and Civil Cases• the Russian judiciary has judicial appeal and judicial review at the level of the U.S.

Supreme Court.

• Justices are nominated by the President and approved by the Federal Council

• Lower and appellate courts handle– Ordinary civil and criminal cases

• 1995- Commercial Courts created• Deal with privatization and tax issues.

Sub-National Government

• Ethnic relations complicate political relations

• Republics view themselves differently– Claim autonomy and sovereignty

• Equal status for all?– Constitutionally, all “equal”

• Historically, some given special privileges– Ie: Second Language states

– ‘94-’98: 46 individual treaties

– Ad hoc System: Asymmetrical Federalism• Giving different regions varying privileges

Sub-National Government

• 2000-2002 Putin introduced: Uniform System of Federal Regional Relations1) Harmonized regional laws and republic constitutions

• Created seven super districts, each headed by a presidential appointee

2) 2002- Rescinded bilateral treaties• All but a few have been annulled

3) Power Vertical• Strengthening of an integrated structure of executive

power from top (Pres) down through local authority– President can remove governors– President can appoint governors, now with party suggestion– Governors can no longer serve on Federation Council– Duma is now elected by proportional representation

A. Status of Regional Governors Today:• As of 2004’s Beslan Massacre

1) Putin eliminated the Popular Election of Governor– President now nominates regional heads for approval by regional

legislatures» Cited corruption and inffective leadership as reason» If leg refuses nom 3 times, Pres may disband body-Under Medvedev, regional majority party can nominate a

candidate to the President2) Pres can remove a governor and disband a regional

legislature if they engage in unconst. activity.

B. Status of Regional Legislative Representatives1) One is appointed by Regional Executive2) One is appointed by Regional Legislature

Is this the death of Russian Federalism???

Sub-National Government

Sub-National Government• The Russian Federation comprises 83 federal subjects• These subjects have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation

Council. However, they differ in the degree of autonomy they enjoy.21 republics: nominally autonomous

each has its own constitution, president, and parliament. Republics are allowed to establish their own official language

alongside Russian but are represented by the federal government in international affairs.

Republics are meant to be home to specific ethnic minorities.

46 oblasts (provinces): most common type of federal subjects with federally appointed governor and locally elected

legislature.

9 krais (territories): essentially the same as oblasts. The "territory" designation is historic, originally given to frontier

regions and later also to administrative divisions that comprised autonomous okrugs or autonomous oblasts.

4 autonomous okrugs (autonomous districts): originally autonomous entities within oblasts and krais created for ethnic minoritiestheir status was elevated to that of federal subjects in the

1990s. With the exception of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, all

autonomous okrugs are still administratively subordinated to a krai or an oblast of which they are a part.

1 autonomous oblast (the Jewish Autonomous Oblast): originally autonomous oblasts were administrative units subordinated to krais. In 1990, all of them except the Jewish AO were elevated in

status to that of a republic.

2 federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg): major cities that function as separate regions.

Sub-National Government

• Led by a Chairman– Official duties

• presiding over sessions

• formulating and introducing draft agendas

• issuing orders and consulting with the Council’s committees

• acting as the upper house’s official representative in the Federal Assembly

• signing resolutions to be passed forth to the President or the State Duma.

The Russian Federal Assembly

The Federal Council

Sergey Mironov

The Russian Federal Assembly

The Federal Council• The Federal Council is Russia’s “Upper House”• It represents Russia’s constituent Federal Units• Each of the 84 federal subjects of Russia, send

two senators to the Council. – As of January 2008, the total body of the Federation

Council is 168 seats.

• Complaint Organ• Made up of Prominent Businessmen• Party Factions not significant

– the Council has explicitly stated that no political factions are to exist

• Runs by consensus politics– laws are relatively easily debated through the guidance of the Chairman

and committees

• Not Elected– For appointment process: (see Sub-national Governmental Changes)

• Council is viewed as less volatile to radical changes than Duma because:a) Of its federalist designb) Voting franchise strictly limited to provincial elites

• The Council is charged in cooperating with the State Duma in completing and voting on draft laws.

• Federal laws are to be considered by the Council after they have been adopted from the State Duma, (where most legislation is introduced).

The Russian Federal Assembly

The Federal Council

• Passing a Law in the Council:– a vote of more than half of its 176 senators is required.

– When considering federal constitutional laws, 3/4 of the Council’s votes are required for passage.

– If the Council vetoes a law passed by the State Duma, the two chambers are mandated to form a Conciliation Committee

• in order to form a compromise document, which would again go under vote by both houses.

– The Federation Council's veto can be overcome by two-thirds majority in the Duma.

The Russian Federal Assembly

The Federal Council

Powers of The Federal Council• Approval of changes in borders between subjects of the Russian

Federation;• Approval of martial law;• Approval of a decree on the introduction of a state of

emergency;• Deciding on the possibility of using the Armed Forces outside

the territory of the Russian Federation• Declaring of elections of the President of the Russian Federation• Impeachment of the President of the Russian Federation• Approving the president's nomination of judges of the

Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation;

• Approving the president's nomination of the Attorney General of the Russian Federation

• Appointment of Deputy Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounting Chamber.

• Led by the Speaker:– Elected by members of Duma– Overseeing the day-to-day business – Presiding and maintaining order at the regular sessions of

the parliament. – Chairs the Council of the Duma

• which includes representatives from all the parliamentary parties and determines the legislative agenda.

• May intervene and express his views but is supposed to be unbiased in his

• Standing Committee leadership divided amongst major factions

The Russian Federal Assembly

The State Duma

Boris Gryzlov speaker of the Russian State Duma since December, 2003

• the “Lower House” of the Federal Assembly of Russia

• Its members are referred to as deputies.• 450 Members• Direct Popular election of candidates and parties

every four years– Russian citizens at least 21 years old are eligible to

run for the Duma – Seats are awarded on the basis of the percentage of

election votes won by a party. (Proportional representation)

– The party then elects candidates to fill its eligible seats.

The Russian Federal Assembly

The State Duma

• Passing A Law In The Duma– The State Duma adopts decrees on issues referred

to its authority by the Constitution o– Decrees of the State Duma are adopted by a

majority of the total number of deputies of the State Duma,

– All bills are first approved by the State Duma and are further debated and approved (or rejected) by the Federation Council.

The Russian Federal Assembly

The State Duma

Powers of the Duma• Consent to the appointment of the Prime Minister of Russia• hearing annual reports from the Government of the Russian

Federation on the results of its work, – including on issues raised by the State Duma

• Deciding the issue of confidence in the Government of the Russian Federation;

• Appointment and dismissal of the Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia

• Appointment and dismissal of the Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounts Chamber

• Appointment and dismissal of the Commissioner for Human Rights, who shall act according to federal constitutional law

• Announcement of amnesty• Bringing charges against the President of the Russian

Federation for his impeachment (requires a two thirds majority);

Summary of the December 2, 2007 Russian Duma election resultsParties and coalitions Votes % Seats

United Russia 44,714,241 64.30 315

Communist Party of the Russian Federation 8,046,886 11.57 57

Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 5,660,823 8.14 40

Fair Russia 5,383,639 7.74 38

Agrarian Party of Russia 1,600,234 2.30 —

Russian Democratic Party “Yabloko” ( 1,108,985 1.59 —

Civilian Power 733,604 1.05 —

Union of Right Forces 669,444 0.96 —

Patriots of Russia 615,417 0.89 —

Party of Social Justice 154,083 0.22 —

Democratic Party of Russia 89,780 0.13 —

Valid ballot papers 68,777,136 98.91  

Invalid ballot papers 759,929 1.09

Total (turnout 63.71%) 69,537,065 100.00 450

Eligible voters 109,145,517  

Russian legislative election, 2007

Affiliation Delegates Seats Popular vote

United Russia 315 70% 64.30%

Communist Party of the Russian Federation

57 12.67% 11.57%

Liberal Democratic Party of Russia 40 8.89% 8.14%

Fair Russia 38 8.44% 7.74%

Total 450 100% 91.75%

The Kremlin

• The Kremlin, is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow

• The name The Kremlin is often used as a metonym to refer to the government of the Soviet Union, the Russian Federation, and its highest members

• The existing Kremlin walls and towers were built by Italian masters over the years 1485 to 1495.

• Originally there were eighteen Kremlin towers, but their number increased to twenty in the 17th century.

The Policy Making Process

• Federal Government Proposes the most legislation– Under Putin- 60% of bills derive from Executive Branch

• Various organizations involved in drafting– Presidential Administration– Parliamentary Staff– Special office within the Federal Government– Expert Consultants– ( Note: only Budget Proposals can be proposed by

the Federal Government)

• Informal Groups have an indirect impact– Corporatism- government identifies organizations

that are consulted to represent designated societal interests in policy making.

• Top Down• Govt. plays an active role in defining vehicles of societal

input.• (Note: government owns a good share of some of the

enterprises it often chooses…)– What does this imply?

The Policy Making Process

How A Bill Becomes A Law

1) Approved by both houses of the Parliament1) In 3 Readings

2) Signed by the President

3) If President vetoes1) Can be overridden, with the same wording, by 2/3 of

Parliament