Eleanor Finch
Russia's first constitution was enacted in 1906, marking a shift from the country's previous status as an absolute monarchy ruled by an autocratic emperor, commonly referred to as the Tsar. The 1906 constitution introduced a bicameral parliament, consisting of the State Council (upper house) and the State Duma (lower house). While this charter granted certain rights and established an elected legislature, the Tsar retained significant power, including an absolute veto over legislation. Subsequent constitutions and amendments have further shaped Russia's political landscape, including the 1918 Constitution of the Russian Federation, the 1993 Constitution, and various amendments in the 2000s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of First Constitution | 1906 |
| Type of Government Before First Constitution | Absolute Monarchy |
| Ruler | Autocratic Emperor, commonly referred to as "Tsar" |
| Limitations on the Tsar's Power | Must profess the Russian Orthodox faith and obey the laws of succession laid down by Emperor Paul I |
| Legislative Body | Bicameral Parliament |
| Upper House | State Council, half of whose members were appointed by the Tsar |
| Lower House | State Duma, whose members were chosen by different classes of the Russian people through indirect elections |
| Legislative Powers of the Duma | Power of legislation and the right to question the Tsar's ministers |
| Limitations on the Duma's Power | Could not control the appointment or dismissal of ministers, alter the constitution, or impeach the Tsar |
| Subsequent Constitutions | 1918, 1993 (revised in 2008, 2014, 2020) |
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What You'll Learn
The 1906 Russian Constitution
The 1905 Russian Revolution, which was sparked by Russia's defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, led to the country's first constitution in 1906. Before this, the Russian Empire was an absolute monarchy ruled by an autocratic emperor, commonly referred to as the Tsar.
The 1906 Constitution, also known as the Fundamental Laws, was issued by Tsar Nicholas II and consisted of 124 points. It provided for a bicameral Russian parliament, composed of an upper house (the State Council) and a lower house (the State Duma). The Tsar, however, retained significant powers, including an absolute veto over legislation and the right to dismiss the Duma at any time.
The Fundamental Laws codified certain individual rights, such as freedom of religion and the sanctity of private property. It also established the Russian language as the common language of the state and affirmed the role of the Sovereign Emperor as the Supreme Commander of the Russian army and navy.
The 1906 Constitution was a significant step towards constitutional monarchy in Russia, but it also undermined promises made in the 1905 October Manifesto, which had promised basic civil rights and an elected parliament. The Tsar's resistance to these ideas and his violation of the Constitution's provisions, such as unilaterally altering election statutes, damaged his reputation and contributed to revolutionary agitation, eventually leading to his overthrow in February 1917.
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The 1918 Constitution
One of the key aspects of the 1918 Constitution was its focus on the rights and empowerment of the working classes. It explicitly denied political power to the higher classes, particularly those who had supported the White armies in the Civil War. To ensure the supremacy of the working classes, the constitution called for all workers and peasants to be armed and organised into a Red Army, while the higher classes were to be disarmed.
The constitution declared Russia to be a "Republic of the Soviets of Workers', Soldiers', and Peasants' Deputies", with supreme power vested in the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. This congress was composed of deputies from local soviets across Russia and was responsible for electing the Council of People's Commissars (Sovnarkom) as the administrative arm of the government. The Sovnarkom had already been exercising governmental authority since November 1917, but the 1918 Constitution formalised its role.
The All-Russian Central Executive Committee played a crucial role in directing the activities of the Workers' and Peasants' government and coordinating the operation of the Soviet constitution. It also formed the Council of People's Commissars to manage the affairs of the Russian Socialist Federated Soviet Republic. The 1918 Constitution instructed the People's Commissariat of Education to introduce the study and explanation of its basic principles in all schools and educational institutions.
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The 1993 Constitution
The Russian Federation's Constitution of 1993 was enacted on 25 December 1993, following a national referendum held on 12 December 1993. It is one of the longest-standing constitutions in Russian history, second only to the Soviet Union's 1936 Constitution, which was in effect until 1977. The 1993 Constitution 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.
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Amendments to the 1993 Constitution
The 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted by a referendum on 12 December 1993 and enacted on 25 December 1993. It replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978 and is one of the longest-standing constitutions in Russian history. The 1993 Constitution established three core features of the Russian constitutional order, all breaking with the Soviet past:
- The Constitutional provisions on the foundations of the constitutional system, the protection of human rights, and constitutional review are unchangeable and cannot be amended, except via the summoning of a new Constitutional Assembly or a national referendum.
- The Constitution established a strongly monist approach to international law, integrating it into the Russian legal order and giving priority to duly ratified international treaties and agreements to override conflicting domestic laws.
- The Russian Constitutional Court enjoys exclusive competence to interpret the Constitution via binding precedents.
The 1993 Constitution gave “sovereignty” a new meaning and rejected all the core elements of the Soviet legal heritage, particularly concerning the implementation and application of international law within the national legal order. The Constitution provides for human rights and freedoms of citizens according to the universally recognised principles and norms of international law, as well as listing them in the Constitution.
The first substantial amendments to the 1993 Constitution were made in 2008, extending the terms of the President of Russia and the State Duma from four to six and five years, respectively. Further significant amendments were made in 2020, altering various sections, including presidential terms, social policies, and the role of Russian law over international ones. These amendments also removed the "in a row" clause from the article regulating the maximum number of presidential terms, discounting previous presidential terms before the amendment came into force.
In 2020, a nationwide vote took place, with 78% of voters voting in favour of the amendments on a turnout of 65%. Putin signed an executive order on 3 July 2020 to officially insert the amendments into the Constitution, and they came into effect on 4 July 2020. These amendments included recognising Russia as a successor to the Soviet Union in relation to international organisations, treaties, and assets of the USSR, banning the ceding of Russian territory, and enshrining God and heterosexual marriage in the Constitution. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the text of the Constitution was updated to include the Donetsk People's Republic, Kherson Oblast, Luhansk People's Republic, and Zaporizhzhia Oblast.
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The 2020 Amendments
The main goal of these amendments, according to many experts, was to legitimize Vladimir Putin's potential extension of his rule as President of the Russian Federation beyond his second consecutive term. The previous constitutional limit, outlined in Article 81, prohibited an individual from serving more than two consecutive terms as President. The 2020 Amendments removed the "in a row" clause, allowing Putin to run for re-election in 2024 despite having already served two terms.
The process of amending the Constitution involved the State Duma, which approved the proposals, and the Constitutional Court of Russia, which provided its approval. A nationwide vote was also held from June 25 to July 1, 2020, with official results showing 78% of voters in favour of the amendments and a turnout of 65%. The amendments were officially inserted into the Russian Constitution on July 4, 2020, and signed by President Putin.
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Frequently asked questions
Russia gained its first constitution in 1906.
Before the 1906 constitution, the Russian Empire was an absolute monarchy ruled by an autocratic emperor commonly referred to as the "Tsar".
The 1906 constitution provided for a bicameral Russian parliament composed of an upper house, the State Council, and a lower house, the State Duma. The Tsar retained an absolute veto over legislation and the right to dismiss the Duma.
