Malcolm Rivera
The Russian Constitution of 1993 was enacted on December 25, 1993, and it abolished the Soviet system of government, replacing the 1978 Soviet-era Constitution. The 1993 Constitution came into force following a national referendum and a period of constitutional crisis in Russia, marked by a conflict between President Boris Yeltsin and the country's parliament. Yeltsin's consolidation of power and expansion of executive authority resulted in the adoption of a new constitution, which established a system of crown-presidentialism, granting significant power to the office of the president. This constitution has been one of the longest-standing in Russian history, undergoing significant amendments in 2008 and 2020 to extend presidential terms and alter various sections, including social policies and the role of Russian law.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of adoption | 12 December 1993 |
| Date enacted | 25 December 1993 |
| Replaced | The Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978 |
| Abolished | The Soviet system of government |
| Type of government | Democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government |
| Power | "Strong presidency" with vast powers over executive, legislative, and judicial branches |
| Election method | Secret ballot |
| Election day | December 12, 1993 |
| Presidential immunity | Yes |
| Presidential term | Extended to six years in 2008 amendments |
| State Duma term | Extended to five years in 2008 amendments |
| Legislative body | Federal Assembly of Russia, consisting of two chambers: State Duma and Federation Council |
| Municipal government | May delegate powers to federal executive government bodies |
| International relations | Russia may participate in interstate associations and transfer powers to them |
| Amendments | Significant amendments in 2008 and 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
Established a democratic federative state with a republican form of government
The 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation established a democratic federative state with a republican form of government. This constitution replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978, which had been amended in April 1991 to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the independence of the Russian Federation.
The 1993 Constitution was drafted by a Constitutional Conference of over 800 participants and came into force on 25 December 1993, at the moment of its official publication. It abolished the Soviet system of government, creating a system of crown-presidentialism, which affords vast power to the office of the president, including executive, legislative, and judicial powers.
The Russian Federation is a multinational people, united by a common fate, establishing human rights and freedoms, civic peace, and accord. The constitution asserts the sovereignty of Russia and its democratic basis, striving for the well-being and prosperity of the nation, while recognizing its responsibility to present and future generations as part of the world community.
The constitution provides for a "strong presidency," with the president being the "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" and holding the power to dissolve the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly. The president's edicts and regulations must not conflict with the constitution and federal laws, and the president enjoys immunity during their term of office.
The Federal Assembly of Russia is the legislature, consisting of two chambers: the State Duma and the Federation Council. The State Duma is the more significant chamber, responsible for passing federal laws, and no bill can be adopted without its majority vote. The constitution also outlines the election method, specifying that it should be conducted by secret ballot.
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Created a strong presidency with vast powers
The 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation created a "strong presidency" with extensive powers. It replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 1978, reflecting the dissolution of the Soviet Union and establishing the sovereignty of the new Russian Federation.
The 1993 Constitution establishes a system of crown-presidentialism, which affords significant authority to the office of the president, allowing dominance over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. The president is designated as the "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation" and is empowered to dissolve the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, which is primarily responsible for passing federal laws.
The Constitution grants the President immunity and outlines that their powers come into effect from the moment of taking the oath until the expiration of their term of office and the swearing-in of a newly elected president. It also specifies the method of presidential election, which includes a secret ballot, and details the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of the presidency.
The 1993 Constitution came into force on December 25, 1993, following its adoption through a national referendum on December 12, 1993. It was enacted in the wake of the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, during which President Boris Yeltsin consolidated his position, expanded executive powers, and pushed for the adoption of a new constitution. The Constitution abolished the Soviet system of government and asserted Russia's commitment to democratic principles and human rights.
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Replaced the previous Soviet-era constitution
The 1993 Russian Constitution replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978, of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. The 1978 Constitution had already been amended in April 1991 to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. However, it remained in effect until the adoption of the 1993 Constitution.
The adoption of the 1993 Constitution was a significant event in Russian history as it abolished the Soviet system of government and established a new framework for the country. The constitution-making process was influenced by the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, which arose from a conflict between then-President Boris Yeltsin and the country's parliament. Yeltsin sought to consolidate his power and reduce the influence of the parliament, which was resisting his economic reform program and attempting to increase its powers.
In response to the parliamentary challenge, Yeltsin performed a self-coup, dissolving the parliament and instituting a presidential rule by decree system. The crisis culminated in Yeltsin using military force to attack Moscow's House of Soviets and arrest lawmakers. This period of political turmoil resulted in Russia being on the brink of civil war, with 147 people killed and 437 wounded in the conflict, according to official statistics.
Following the constitutional crisis, Yeltsin pushed for the adoption of a new constitution, which was drafted by the 1993 Constitutional Conference and adopted by a national referendum on 12 December 1993. The 1993 Constitution came into force on 25 December 1993, at the moment of its official publication, marking a pivotal moment in Russia's transition away from the Soviet-era governance.
The 1993 Constitution established a system of crown-presidentialism, which grants significant power to the office of the president, including dominance over the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. It also outlines the method of election, the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of the presidency, and the structure of the Federal Assembly of Russia, consisting of the State Duma and the Federation Council.
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Abolished the Soviet system of government
The Constitution of the Russian Federation, which came into force on 25 December 1993, abolished the Soviet system of government. The 1993 Constitution is one of the longest-standing in Russian history, second only to the Soviet Union's 1936 Constitution.
The 1993 Constitution replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978, which had been amended in April 1991 to install a president independent of parliament. The 1978 Constitution was further amended in April 1992 to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. However, the events of 1993, known as the "October Coup" or "Black October", led to a constitutional crisis. This arose from a conflict between President Boris Yeltsin and the country's parliament, with Yeltsin performing a self-coup by dissolving parliament and instituting a presidential rule-by-decree system.
The 1993 Constitution was drafted by the 1993 Constitutional Conference, which was attended by over 800 participants. It was adopted by national referendum on 12 December 1993 and enacted on 25 December 1993, the day of its official publication. The new Constitution created a system of crown-presidentialism, affording vast power to the office of the president to dominate executive, legislative, and judicial power.
The Constitution provides for a "'strong presidency'", with the president being the "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation". The president also has the power to dissolve the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, which is responsible for passing federal laws. The president's edicts and regulations must not conflict with the Constitution and federal laws, and they are granted immunity during their term of office.
The Constitution also establishes the Russian Federation as a democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government. It recognises the multinational people of the Russian Federation, striving to ensure the well-being and prosperity of Russia, and recognising itself as part of the world community.
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Provided for human rights and freedoms
The Russian Federation's Constitution of 1993 was adopted by national referendum on 12 December 1993 and enacted on 25 December 1993. It replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978, which had been amended in April 1992 to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The 1993 Constitution is one of the longest-standing in Russian history, second only to the Soviet Union's 1936 Constitution.
The Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993) provided for human rights and freedoms, civic peace and accord, and preserving the historically established state unity. It also outlined the responsibilities of the government and the President of the Russian Federation.
The constitution is divided into two sections, with the first section establishing human rights and freedoms. It states that "Man, his rights and freedoms shall be the supreme value". It also outlines the principles of equality and self-determination of peoples, the sovereign statehood of Russia, and its democratic basis.
The constitution provides for a "strong presidency", with the president holding the title of "Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation". The president also has the power to dissolve the State Duma, which is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, the country's legislature.
The constitution also outlines the election process, specifying that elections are to be held by secret ballot. It details the powers, responsibilities, and limitations of the presidency, as well as the implementation of federal state power across the territory of the Russian Federation.
The rights and liberties stipulated by the constitution are protected and not subject to restriction. These include the right to pay lawful taxes and fees, the obligation to preserve nature and the environment, and the right to substitute military service with alternative civil service for citizens whose convictions and faith are at odds with military service.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution of the Russian Federation, which came into force on 25 December 1993, is the second longest-standing constitution in Russian history.
The 1993 Constitution abolished the Soviet system of government and replaced it with a democratic federative law-governed state with a republican form of government. It also created a system of crown-presidentialism, which affords vast power to the office of the president to dominate executive, legislative, and judicial power.
The 1993 Constitution was created following the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, a conflict between President Boris Yeltsin and the country's parliament. Yeltsin performed a self-coup, dissolving parliament and instituting a presidential rule by decree.
Yes, the Constitution has been amended several times since its creation. The first substantial amendments came in 2008, extending the terms of the President and the State Duma. Further significant amendments were made in 2020, altering sections on presidential terms, social policies, and the role of Russian law over international ones.
