Russian Political Russian Political InstitutionsInstitutions

FederalismFederalism Although the Soviet Union was highly Although the Soviet Union was highly

centralized, it had a centralized, it had a federal government federal government structurestructure

Russian Federation also Russian Federation also federalfederal, with the , with the current regime consisting of 83 regionscurrent regime consisting of 83 regions

Putin ended direct election of the 83 Putin ended direct election of the 83 regional governors, they are now nominated regional governors, they are now nominated by the president and confirmed by the by the president and confirmed by the regional legislaturesregional legislatures

Putin created 7 federal districts with Putin created 7 federal districts with appointed “super governors”appointed “super governors”

ElectionsElections 3 types3 types

– ReferendumReferendum-- president can call for national -- president can call for national referenda by popular vote on important issuesreferenda by popular vote on important issues

– Duma Elections Duma Elections (changed in 2007)(changed in 2007) Now elections are entirely Now elections are entirely proportionalproportional Single-member districtsSingle-member districts were eliminated in 2007 were eliminated in 2007

upon the initiative of President Putinupon the initiative of President Putin The threshold for eligibility to win seats was raised The threshold for eligibility to win seats was raised

from 5% to 7%from 5% to 7% In 2003, 100 of the 225 single-member district In 2003, 100 of the 225 single-member district

seats were won by independents or minor party seats were won by independents or minor party candidatescandidates

– Presidential ElectionsPresidential Elections Direct elections, if no candidate receives 50% of Direct elections, if no candidate receives 50% of

the vote in 1the vote in 1stst round, run-off between top 2 round, run-off between top 2

1993 Constitution1993 Constitution March 1993 parliament attempted to impeach March 1993 parliament attempted to impeach

YeltsinYeltsin Legislative-led coup tried to take control of the Legislative-led coup tried to take control of the

governmentgovernment Yeltsin dissolved legislature, called for new electionsYeltsin dissolved legislature, called for new elections Although opposition leaders were arrested, Yeltsin’s Although opposition leaders were arrested, Yeltsin’s

opponents won the majority in the new legislatureopponents won the majority in the new legislature– Radical Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s Liberal Party did Radical Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s Liberal Party did

surprisingly well (reflected disappointments with surprisingly well (reflected disappointments with reforms)reforms)

Despite losing control of the legislature Yeltsin was Despite losing control of the legislature Yeltsin was able to get approval for the new constitution: able to get approval for the new constitution: Constitution of 1993Constitution of 1993

Constitution of 1993Constitution of 1993 Created a three-branch governmentCreated a three-branch government

– President & Prime Minister (dual executive)President & Prime Minister (dual executive)– Lower legislative house (Duma)Lower legislative house (Duma)– Constitutional Court (has power of judicial Constitutional Court (has power of judicial

review)review) Mixed Presidential/Parliamentary Mixed Presidential/Parliamentary

systemsystem

Powers of the PresidentPowers of the President Appoints the prime minister and cabinetAppoints the prime minister and cabinet

– Duma must approve prime minister’s Duma must approve prime minister’s appointmentappointment

President may serve 2 successive six-year President may serve 2 successive six-year termsterms

Issue decrees that have the force of lawIssue decrees that have the force of law Veto legislationVeto legislation Dissolve the Duma and call for new Dissolve the Duma and call for new

elections elections – Done by Yeltsin during legislative coup Done by Yeltsin during legislative coup

attempt of 1993attempt of 1993

Prime MinisterPrime Minister Relationship between PM and Relationship between PM and

President not exactly clearPresident not exactly clearDual executiveDual executive

Accountable to the Duma - may be Accountable to the Duma - may be removed through vote of no removed through vote of no confidenceconfidence

Has expanded powers since Has expanded powers since Putin became PM in 2008Putin became PM in 2008

Bicameral LegislatureBicameral Legislature DumaDuma

– Lower HouseLower House– 450 deputies450 deputies– AllAll chosen by chosen by

proportional proportional representationrepresentation

– Passes Bills, approves Passes Bills, approves budgetsbudgets

– Confirms president’s Confirms president’s political appointments political appointments (PM)(PM)

– Votes of confidence (PM)Votes of confidence (PM)– Impeach presidentImpeach president

Federation CouncilFederation Council– Upper HouseUpper House– Two members from each Two members from each

of the 83 regionsof the 83 regions– Half now appointed by Half now appointed by

presidentpresident– Confirm judicial Confirm judicial

appointmentappointment– Power to delay Power to delay

legislationlegislation– Ratify treatiesRatify treaties– Approve troop Approve troop

deploymentsdeployments

JudiciaryJudiciary Members appointed by president, Members appointed by president,

confirmed by Federation Councilconfirmed by Federation Council Courts have power of judicial reviewCourts have power of judicial review

JudiciaryJudiciary Supreme CourtSupreme Court

– Created by 1993 ConstitutionCreated by 1993 Constitution– Serves as final court of appeals in Serves as final court of appeals in

criminal & civil casescriminal & civil cases Constitutional CourtConstitutional Court

– Created by 1993 ConstitutionCreated by 1993 Constitution– 19 members19 members– Has power of judicial reviewHas power of judicial review

MilitaryMilitary Generally did not get involved in politics, Generally did not get involved in politics,

this continues under the Russian this continues under the Russian FederationFederation

Suffered significant humiliation from the Suffered significant humiliation from the late 1980’s to early 21late 1980’s to early 21stst century century– Withdrawal from AfghanistanWithdrawal from Afghanistan– Defeated by Chechen guerrillas in 1994-1996 Defeated by Chechen guerrillas in 1994-1996

conflictconflict– Often ill-equipped, Russian soldiers had to feed Often ill-equipped, Russian soldiers had to feed

themselves and went unpaid for months in late themselves and went unpaid for months in late 1990’s and early 211990’s and early 21stst century century

Political PartiesPolitical Parties Began forming after 1991Began forming after 1991 Small, factionalSmall, factional Formed around particular leadersFormed around particular leaders

– ““Bloc of General Andrey Nikolaev and Academician Bloc of General Andrey Nikolaev and Academician Svyaloslav Fyodorov”Svyaloslav Fyodorov”

– ““Yuri Boldyrev Movement” (“Yabloko”)Yuri Boldyrev Movement” (“Yabloko”) Formed around particular issuesFormed around particular issues

– ““Party of Pensioners”Party of Pensioners”– ““Agrarian Party of Russia”Agrarian Party of Russia”– ““Women of Russia”Women of Russia”

Only 22% of Russia’s citizens report being a Only 22% of Russia’s citizens report being a member of a political partymember of a political party

United RussiaUnited Russia Merger between 2 parties to support Putin in Merger between 2 parties to support Putin in

the election of 2000the election of 2000 2007– 315 Duma seats 2007– 315 Duma seats

2011– 238 seats2011– 238 seats Putin now its leaderPutin now its leader United Russia is hard to define other than United Russia is hard to define other than

that it is pro-Putinthat it is pro-Putin

Communist Party of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF)Russian Federation (CPRF)

After 1995 elections held 157 of the 450 After 1995 elections held 157 of the 450 Duma seatsDuma seats

2007– 57 Duma seats2007– 57 Duma seats 2011– 922011– 92

Party emphasizes central planning and Party emphasizes central planning and nationalismnationalism

Appeals to rural population and older Appeals to rural population and older RussiansRussians

Liberal Democratic PartyLiberal Democratic Party Controversial party founded in 1991Controversial party founded in 1991 Headed by Vladimir ZhirinovskyHeaded by Vladimir Zhirinovsky

– Extreme nationalistExtreme nationalist– Anti-semiticAnti-semitic

Victories in 1990s reflected disappointments with Victories in 1990s reflected disappointments with reformsreforms

2007– 40 seats2007– 40 seats 2011– 56 seats2011– 56 seats

Reformist PartiesReformist Parties YablokoYabloko

– Founded 1993Founded 1993– Takes strongest pro-Takes strongest pro-

democracy stancedemocracy stance– Won 1.6% of vote in the Won 1.6% of vote in the

2007 elections, 3.4% in 2007 elections, 3.4% in 20112011 Not enough to reach Not enough to reach

the 7% threshold, so the 7% threshold, so no seatsno seats

Union of Right Union of Right ForcesForces– Supports free market Supports free market

and privatizationand privatization– Won 0.96% of vote in Won 0.96% of vote in

the 2007 elections, the 2007 elections, dissolved in 2008dissolved in 2008

Interest GroupsInterest Groups OligarchsOligarchs

– By mid-1990s By mid-1990s monopolized Russian monopolized Russian industry and built huge industry and built huge fortunesfortunes

– Dominant in oil, media, Dominant in oil, media, and television industriesand television industries

– Helped get Vladimir Putin Helped get Vladimir Putin elected in 2000elected in 2000

Russian MafiaRussian Mafia– Larger and perhaps even Larger and perhaps even

more influential than the more influential than the oligarchyoligarchy

– During Revolution of During Revolution of 1991 gained control of 1991 gained control of businesses, natural businesses, natural resources, and banksresources, and banks

– Involved in money Involved in money laundering, drugs, laundering, drugs, prostitution, and prostitution, and business payoffs business payoffs (“protection money”)(“protection money”)

– Includes former members Includes former members of the KGBof the KGB

Linkage Institutions TodayLinkage Institutions Today Oligarchs and the mafia reflect unequal nature of Oligarchs and the mafia reflect unequal nature of

Russian societyRussian society In 2003, Mikhail Khodorvsky, the richest man in In 2003, Mikhail Khodorvsky, the richest man in

Russia and CEO of the Yukos Oil Company was Russia and CEO of the Yukos Oil Company was arrested as a signal that the Russian government arrested as a signal that the Russian government was consolidating powerwas consolidating power– Yukos was slapped with massive penalties and Yukos was slapped with massive penalties and

additional taxes, forcing it into bankruptcyadditional taxes, forcing it into bankruptcy Russian MediaRussian Media – close ties to both the state and – close ties to both the state and

the oligarchythe oligarchy Significant limits on freedom of the pressSignificant limits on freedom of the press

2004– wealthiest man in Russia, 162004– wealthiest man in Russia, 16thth on Forbes’ list of billionaireson Forbes’ list of billionaires

In prison at least until 2017In prison at least until 2017

Russian Political CultureRussian Political CultureNationalityNationality Most important single cleavage in Most important single cleavage in

RussiaRussia 80% of population is Russian80% of population is Russian

Chechnya (separatist ethnic Chechnya (separatist ethnic movement)movement)

Primarily Muslim region of RussiaPrimarily Muslim region of Russia Contains some valuable resources, such as Contains some valuable resources, such as

oil fieldsoil fields Independence movement is strong, and Independence movement is strong, and

Russian government has struggled to keep Russian government has struggled to keep Chechnya region within its controlChechnya region within its control

Chechens have reverted to terrorist tactics Chechens have reverted to terrorist tactics including taking over a heavily attended including taking over a heavily attended Russian theater and in 2004 the seizure of Russian theater and in 2004 the seizure of a school that resulted in the deaths of over a school that resulted in the deaths of over 350 people, mostly children350 people, mostly children

Beliefs and AttitudesBeliefs and Attitudes Mistrust of GovernmentMistrust of Government – – result of mistreatment result of mistreatment

and government secrecy during tsarist and Soviet regimesand government secrecy during tsarist and Soviet regimes StatismStatism – – despite mistrust of government, Russian despite mistrust of government, Russian

citizens still expect the state to take active role in their livescitizens still expect the state to take active role in their lives Economic BeliefsEconomic Beliefs – – nearly all groups and political nearly all groups and political

factions favor market reforms, but many still believe in factions favor market reforms, but many still believe in egalitarianismegalitarianism

Weak Civil SocietyWeak Civil Society – Few Russians are – Few Russians are members of clubs, churches, or cultural groupsmembers of clubs, churches, or cultural groups