STRUCTURE OF GOV’TPRESIDENT & PRIME MINISTER

LEGISLATUREJUDICIARY AND RULE OF LAW

THE MILITARY

Russia: Institutions of Government

Political Institutions

Russian regime history is highly authoritarianReforms in early 1990s are experimental and

yet to be determined successful or notCurrent political parties, elections and

institutions are fluid, and likely to continually change over course of coming decade

Federal Gov’t Structure

89 Regions 21 are ethnically non-Russian by majority Each region is bound to the Federation by a treaty Chechnya has yet to sign a treaty with Federal gov’t Most regions are called “Republics” and many ruled

themselves almost independently during Yeltsin periodMany saw the former Eastern Bloc Republics as a

role model (Lithuania, Ukraine, Latvia, etc...) Chechnya’s bid for independence and war illustrates this se

ntiment Some regions are stronger, more independent of the

Federation; power has devolved unequally (asymmetric Federalism)

Russian Political Regions

New Measures under Putin’s Gov’t

Putin cracked down on regional autonomy, even increasing army activity in Chechnya

Creation of Super Districts: (2000) Seven new Federal Districts were created Each District headed by Presidential appointee, supervised local

authorities Removal of Governors:

President is given authority to remove a governor who refuses to subject local law to the National Constitution

Appointments of Governors: (2004) To centralize power, Putin ended popular election of local Governors Regional Governors would be nominated by Russian President

Changes in Federal Council:

Elimination of Single-Member-Districts: (2005) Putin eliminated single-member-districts from being elected to Duma Proportional representation eliminated regionally popular candidates

Institutions of Government

The current structure of gov’t was put in place by Constitution of 1993

It takes from both a Presidential and Parliamentary system Ultimately, more power rests in hands of President

than Legislative branch

Executive Branch has extended its power during Putin’s administration

The President & Prime Minister

President: Head of State (far more ceremonial)

Prime Minister: Head of Gov’tConstitution set up to allow greater

authority by President, but… since 2008 that relationship is changing (Putin as PM)

Russians directly elect a president for a 4-year term, limit of two terms

Political parties are fluid so anyone with 1 million signatures can run for office By 2000 and 2004 (and 2008) Putin and

(Medvedev) won without a second-round vote

President’s Powers

Appoint the Prime Minister and Cabinet

•Duma must approve PM’s appointment

•If Duma rejects nominee 3-times, President can dissolve Duma

Issue Decrees that have Force of Law

•President’s cabinet has concentrated, centralized power

•According to Constitution, Duma has no real power to censure Cabinet

•Putin created the state-owned United Aircraft Corporation by decree

Dissolve the Duma

•1993: Yeltsin ordered the old Russian Parliament dissolved

•Conservatives staged a coup, refused to leave

•Yeltsin ordered the army to fire on the Parliament building

•The image of chaos stayed with Yeltsin during his rule over Russia

Tanks roll in- Coup

Fall of Communism: Part I

Gorbachev Resigns

1993 Coup

** Prime Ministers are not appointed because they are leaders of majority party, but selected because of loyalty to President

Bicameral Legislature

Duma- Lower House 450 deputies, selected by

proportional representation Duma passes bills, approves

a budget, confirms presidential appointments

Most legislation originates with President and/or Prime Minister

Duma debates the bills though, that must pass before they become law

Federation Council- Upper House 2 members from 89 federal

administrative units Since 2002: one member

selected by Governor of region, the other by regional legislature

The Council represents regions, not particular population

The Council can delay legislation, but Duma can override Council with 2/3 vote

On Paper: ratify use of armed forces outside of borders, appoint and remove judges

The Judiciary and Rule of Law

No independent judiciary existed during old Soviet Regime (courts were pawns of Communist Party) Constitution of 1993 created a Constitutional Court 19 members appointed by president, confirmed by Federation

Council Under Putin, the Court did well not to contradict Putin

Constitution created a Supreme Court to serve as final appeal in criminal cases Supreme Court has no power to challenge the constitutionality of

laws and/or other actions by legislators and executive bodies Years of Communist trained lawyers and judges makes for a

difficult transition: innocent until proven guilty is not quite reality

State police still allowed to act independently from law (act autonomously) and corruption blocks progressive efforts

KGB is defunct, but… its functions post-1991 are split among several agencies Federal Security Service: main domestic security agency Not one member or collaborator of Soviet-era security agencies

has been prosecuted for human rights violations

The Military

Army was critical source of Soviet strength and intimidation from 1945-1991

Armed forces, in its hay-day stood at 4 million men Military didn’t take lead in politics, nor did it challenge the

Politburo Army under Russian Federation is strong, but without the zeal

of Soviet-era intimidation Too many officers are underpaid and soldiers go for months

without proper payments Most politicians have been civilians so idea of military coup

doesn’t seem plausible any time soon Putin declared in 2007: Russian Air Force would begin

regular, long-range patrols by nuke-capable bombers Some see this as a means for Russia to re-establish itself

internationally again Invasion of Georgia in 2008 was successful, and pundits argue

those soldiers appeared better trained than the soldiers who failed in Chechnya back in 1994

Information about Russian invasion of Georgia

Discussion Questions

Compare and evaluate the system of checks and balances between the executive and the legislative branches of government in the United States and Russia.

Why is it so important to have a constitution and insure the “primacy of law” under conditions of change?