Russia: Political InstitutionsSurabi KondapakaPeriod 7

Current SystemLegislature Executive Judiciary

Federation Council

State Duma

President

Chairman of Gov’t (Premier)

The Ministries

Deputy Chairman

Supreme Court of

Arbitration

Supreme Court

Constitutional Court

Prosecutor General

President• Head of State• Vladimir Vladmirovich Putin• 2 consecutive 6-year terms

• Appoints Prime Minister and Cabinet▫ Must be approved by Duma

• Leads “Power Ministries” ▫ Military, police, KGB

• Can introduce martial law• Can veto legislation• Can dissolve Duma and call new elections

▫ Yeltsin attempted to do so by force

Prime Minister• Chairman of Government• Dmitry Medvedev

• Appointed by President• Runs “day-to-day” activities

• Can be removed by a vote of no confidence by the Duma

• Submits Annual Budget

• Putin expanded PM powers in 2008

Judiciary• Judges appointed by President, approved by

Federation Council• Have Judicial Review

• Putin advocated law reform, but issues still exist:▫Corruption▫Questionable judicial

independence

Judiciary• Constitutional Court

▫High Court – addresses Constitutional Complaints

▫19 members• Supreme Court

▫Highest appeals court▫Final court in criminal and civil cases▫115 members

• Supreme Court of Arbitration▫Final court for commercial disputes▫53 members

Districts• 8 super districts• 89 “federal subjects”

▫21 “Republics”▫Each signed the

Federation Treaty Except Chechnya

• Relative autonomy under Yeltsin, but Putin cracked down

Name of District

Central Federal District

Southern Federal District

Northwestern Federal District

Far Eastern Federal District

Siberian Federal District

Ural Federal District

Volga Federal District

North Caucasian Federal District

Federalism• Constitutionally “federal system” – but highly

centralized

• “Asymmetric Federalism”▫ Presidential Nomination of Governors (Approved by

Legislature)▫ Presidential Removal of Governors▫ Creation of Super-districts

“Super-governors” appointed by President▫ Governors appoint Federation Council Members▫ Elimination of Single Member Districts

Duma has proportional representation

Legislature•Bicameral Legislature

▫Federation Council – “Upper House”▫Duma – “Lower House”

•Known collectively as the Federation Assembly

Federation Council• “Upper House”• Equal Representation: 2 members from 89

regions▫One elected from the provincial legislature▫One appointed by provincial governor

(confirmed by legislature)• Powers:

▫ Approve/reject laws (mostly delay legislation)▫Confirm judges▫Ratify treaties▫Approve troop deployment

State Duma• “Lower House” – but more power• 450 reps - proportional

representation from districts

• Powers:▫Pass bills▫Approve Budget▫Impeach President▫Confirm PM appointments▫Vote of Confidence to remove

PM

United Russia (238)

CPRF (92)

A Just Russia (64)

LDPR (56)

Political Parties•1991 – small, factional groups formed•Most formed around specific leaders or

issues▫“Yuri-Boldyrev Movement”▫Yabloko▫Agrarian Party▫Party of Pensioners

•Weak, fluid party power/loyalty▫Over 100 parties in 1993▫Currently 70 registered parties

Political PartiesUnited Russia A Just Russia

CPRF LDPR

Political Parties•United Russia

▫Largest party by far Gains strength from smaller “Pro-Putin”

parties▫Merger of 2 parties: Fatherland All-Russia

and Unity Party▫Formed by Boris Berezovsky to support

Putin in 2000 election▫“Putinism”

Modernization, economic reform

Political Parties• The Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF)

▫Doesn’t want to reestablish the old regime, but wants its stability

▫Led by Gennady Zyuganov

▫Stance: Regain old Soviet territory Central planning, nationalization, worker’s rights Willing to preserve small enterprises

▫Appeals to rural population and older citizens▫Recently declining popularity

Political Parties• A Just Russia

▫ Sergei Mironov▫Socialist version of CPRF▫Welfare state, minimize rich-poor gap

• Liberal Democratic Party▫ Vladimir Zhirinovsky▫Extremely controversial party

Nationalistic, sexist, anti-Semitic Promotes nuclear warfare and strict justice Vows to restore old Soviet borders Mixed economy, private ownership

Reformist Parties• Yabloko

▫ Acronym of 3 founders (Yavlinsky, Boldyrev, Lukin) – also means “apple”

▫ Pro-democracy▫ Used to be popular among intellectuals, Gorbachev-

era reformists• Union of Right Forces

▫ “Right” as in “not wrong” (not ideological right)▫ Free Market and privatization of industry

• Republican Party of Russia▫ Against the “Putin regime”

Voting• Referendum – called by President

• Duma Elections – proportional representation▫ 2007 – Putin eliminated single-member districts

• Presidential Elections▫ Direct election▫ Runoff if no candidates win a simple majority▫ Highly suspicious

2000: Putin won by 52.94% 2004: Putin won by 71% 2008: Medvedev won by 71.2% 2012: Putin won by 63.6%

Oligarchy• Wealthy tycoons monopolized industries under

Yeltsin• Boris Berezovsky and 6 others controlled >50% of

Russia’s GNP through oil and media

• Oligarchy survived Yeltsin’s demise - formed United Russia party around Putin

• Once elected, Putin cracked down on oligarchs▫ Exiled Berezovsky, arrested CEO of Yukos Oil

Sent warning to other oligarchs▫ Oligarchs lost political power, Putin lost economic

popularity

Russian Mafia•Larger, perhaps more influential than

oligarchy•Gained control during Revolution of 1991

▫Controlled local business, banks▫Offered “protection money”▫Laundered their own money

•Affiliated with the KGB

State Corporatism• Insider privatization• State determines who has policy-making input• Large, state-owned holding companies

• Government forces large/rich companies to sell• Gov’t controlled industries and Putin loyalists

benefit

Russian Media•Most media is government controlled

▫Channel 1: Public Russian TV•Some privately owned newspapers, TV

stations

•“Freedom of Speech” is questionable▫Anna Politkovskaya criticized policies about

Chechnya- was mysteriously poisoned▫Ivan Safranov – outspoken critic - “fell from

the window of his apartment”

Military• Soviets prioritized military funding• Under Russian Fed, military humiliated

▫Unpaid soldiers▫Withdrawal from Afghanistan (1988)▫Loss to Chechan Guerrillas (1994-96)

• Most political leaders have been civilian, military stays out of politics

• Putin pushing to reassert military power▫2007 – announced Air Force would start

regular, nuclear capable patrols

OverviewPRESIDEN

TConstitution

al Court

Supreme Court

Supreme Court of

ArbitrationRegional

Governors

Prime Minister

Presidential Administratio

n

State Duma

Federation Council

Government

Super-Governors

Regional Legislature

s

VOTERS

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