Eleanor Finch
The Constitution of the Russian Federation, which came into force on 25 December 1993, outlines the powers of the country's government bodies and establishes the President as the head of state. The President, as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has significant powers, including the ability to dissolve the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly, which is responsible for passing federal laws. The President's role and powers are detailed in Articles 80 to 93 of the Constitution, which also specifies the method of election and term limits. The Constitution also provides for a strong and independent judicial branch, with provisions for judicial immunity, lifetime appointments, and the supremacy of courts to administer justice.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Government | Federal semi-presidential republic |
| Head of State | President of Russia |
| Election of Head of State | Elected in a national vote |
| Term of Head of State | Six years |
| Powers of Head of State | Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, power to dissolve the State Duma, appoint the Prime Minister, key judges, and cabinet members |
| Legislative Power | Two houses of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation |
| Executive Power | Exercised by the government, headed by the Prime Minister |
| Judicial Power | Supreme Court and Constitutional Court |
| Welfare | Protection, access to social security, pensions, free healthcare, and affordable housing |
| Local Governance | Local self-governance |
| Law-making Process | Content of laws must be approved by the public before they take effect and must be formulated in accordance with international law and principles |
| Official Language | Russian, with republics allowed to establish their own |
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What You'll Learn
The President of Russia
The Russian Constitution, which came into force on 25 December 1993, establishes a semi-presidential system with a strong presidency. The President of Russia, officially the President of the Russian Federation, is the executive head of state and is the highest office in Russia. The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and has the power to dissolve the State Duma, the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, which is the country's legislature.
The President is elected through a national vote and holds office for a term of six years, as stipulated by the current constitution. The President has the power to appoint the chairman of the government (Prime Minister), key judges, and cabinet members. The President's appointments to the country's highest judicial bodies, the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court, must be approved by the Federation Council, the upper house of the Federal Assembly.
The Russian Constitution provides for a strong central government, with the central government retaining significant authority. However, regional and local governments have been granted powers in areas such as municipal property, policing, and regional taxation. The constitution also guarantees welfare protection, access to social security, pensions, free healthcare, and affordable housing, and it provides for local self-governance.
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The Federal Assembly
The Chairman of the Federation Council is the third most important position in Russia, after the President and the Prime Minister. In the event that both the President and Prime Minister are incapacitated, the Speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament becomes Acting President.
The State Duma is the more significant chamber, as it carries the primary responsibility for passing federal laws. All bills, even those proposed by the Federation Council, must first be considered by the State Duma and be adopted by a majority vote before being turned over to the Federation Council, which has 14 days to take a vote on them. The Federation Council cannot make changes to bills passed by the Duma and can only approve or reject them. If the Federation Council rejects a bill, the two chambers must form a conciliation commission to work out a compromise version of the legislation. If they still cannot reach a compromise, the veto of the Federation Council can be overridden if two-thirds of the Duma's constitutional composition votes in favour of the bill.
The jurisdiction of the State Duma includes consenting to the appointment of the Prime Minister, deciding the issue of confidence in the Government, appointing and dismissing the Governor of the Central Bank, and appointing and dismissing the Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounts Chamber, among other responsibilities.
The jurisdiction of the Federation Council includes approving changes in borders between federal subjects of Russia, approving the presidential decree on the introduction of martial law or a state of emergency, deciding on the possibility of using the Armed Forces of Russia outside the country, appointing elections of the President, impeachment of the President, appointing judges of higher courts, and appointing and dismissing the Prosecutor General of Russia, among other duties.
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Regional and local governments
The Russian Constitution, which came into force on 25 December 1993, outlines the country's system of government, with a strong presidency and a federal structure. It replaced the Soviet-era Constitution of 12 April 1978, marking a significant shift from the previous system.
Under the Russian Constitution, the central government retains significant authority, but regional and local governments are also granted specific powers. These lower levels of government have jurisdiction over municipal property and policing, and they possess the power to impose regional taxes. The constitution guarantees local self-governance, but national law takes precedence over regional and local laws.
The administrative divisions of Russia include oblasts (regions), minority republics, okrugs (autonomous districts), krays (territories), and federal cities. These divisions were established by the 1993 Constitution, which gave them equal power in the Federal Assembly. However, the creation of federal districts by the central government in 2000 diluted the power of these divisions.
The establishment of seven federal districts by President Vladimir Putin in 2000, with the addition of an eighth district in 2010, increased the central government's control over the regions. These districts have their own presidential envoys, who are responsible for implementing federal law and communicating between the president and regional governors. The power dynamics between the central and regional governments have evolved over time, with the central government taking measures to curb the influence of regional authorities in the years following the constitution's enactment.
The history of local government in Russia dates back to the Soviet era, when local governments were dominated by the Communist Party. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, power dynamics shifted, and local governments gained more autonomy. The Law on Self-Government, expected to be finalized in 2009, aimed to create new municipalities and increase budgetary autonomy for local jurisdictions.
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The Supreme Court
Plenary sessions of the Supreme Court are held at least once every four months. All judges of the Supreme Court and the Prosecutor General of Russia must attend these sessions. At these sessions, the Supreme Court examines the judicial decisions of lower courts and adopts resolutions, which establish recommendations on the interpretation of particular provisions of law for lower courts to ensure uniform application. Russian law does not recognize judicial precedent as a source of law, but courts strictly follow the Supreme Court's recommendations.
- Challenging individual acts of the Federal Assembly and decrees of the President of Russia and the Government of Russia.
- Challenging delegated legislation of governmental agencies.
- Termination of political parties and all-Russian NGOs.
- Challenging actions of the Central Electoral Commission of Russia when organizing presidential elections, State Duma elections, or referendums.
- Hearing criminal cases against members of the Federation Council of Russia, the State Duma, and federal judges at their discretion.
The predecessor to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation was the Supreme Court of the Soviet Union.
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The Prime Minister
The Russian Constitution, which came into force on 25 December 1993, establishes a system of crown-presidentialism, concentrating significant power in the office of the president. The president is the head of state, and the prime minister is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the president.
Historically, the role of the prime minister in Russia has varied. From 1905 to 1917, the prime minister enjoyed considerable powers, with the opportunity to pursue their own policies and reforms. However, the current system of government in Russia is characterized by a strong presidency, with the president holding supreme authority over the executive branch, including the prime minister.
The Russian Constitution provides for a system of checks and balances, with the legislature, the Federal Assembly, consisting of two chambers: the State Duma and the Federation Council. While the State Duma is responsible for passing federal laws, both chambers possess different powers and responsibilities, and the Federal Assembly can remove the president from office for treason or other serious criminal offenses.
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Frequently asked questions
The Russian Constitution gives power to the President of Russia, who is the head of state.
The President of Russia has the power to appoint the Prime Minister, key judges, and cabinet members. They are also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and can dissolve the State Duma. The President also has the power to issue legally binding by-laws.
The Russian Constitution outlines that the country is a democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican form of government. It also provides for welfare protection, access to social security, pensions, free health care, and affordable housing.
The Federal Assembly of Russia is the legislature and consists of two chambers: the State Duma (the lower house) and the Federation Council (the upper house).
