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)
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