Humanities 1,2 - Basic System: Semi-Presidential Federation

Humanities

What I want you to know: I want you to understand the basic political system of Russia.

I. Basic System: Semi-Presidential Federation

President

The Head of State represents Russia abroad and at home.

Elected every 6 years

Can serve 2 consecutive terms. June 2020 Constitutional referendum erased Putin's previous terms and resets his term limits to potentially 2036.

Appoints and nominates the Prime Minister (Head of Government).

Can issue decrees that have the power of law unless they contradict federal laws.

Can disband Duma

Commander-and-Chief of the armed forces

2. Executive Branch

Chief of State: Vladimir Putin

Head of Government: Mikhail Mishustin

The Cabinet: The "Government" is the premier, his deputies, and ministers, all appointed by the president. The Duma also confirms the nomination of the premier.

3. The Federal Assembly-Parliament or Legislative Branch

Bicameral=Federation Council & State Duma

The Federal Assembly forms committees and commissions to resolve issues and is empowered to pass laws.

4. The Judicial Branch

Three types of courts:

The courts of general jurisdiction (including military courts) are subordinated to the Supreme Court The municipal court is the lowest adjudicating body in the general court system. It serves each city or rural district and hears more than 90 percent of all civil and criminal cases. The next level of courts of general jurisdiction is the regional courts. At the highest level is the Supreme Court. Decisions of the lower trial courts can generally be appealed only to the immediately superior court.

The arbitration court system under the High Court of Arbitration courts is in practice specialized courts that resolve property and commercial disputes between economic agents. The highest level of the court resolving economic disputes is the High Court of Arbitration.

The Constitutional Court (as well as constitutional courts in several federal entities) The Constitutional Court is empowered to rule on whether or not laws or presidential decrees are constitutional. If it finds that a law is unconstitutional, the law becomes unenforceable and governmental agencies are barred from implementing it. The judges of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, and the Higher Arbitration Court are appointed by the parliament’s upper house, the Federation Council

5. Federal Administration

89 administrative units that are divided into republics, territories, regions, cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, Jewish Autonomous, and other autonomous regions.46 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast), 21 republics (respubliki, singular - respublika), 4 autonomous okrugs (avtonomnyye okrugi, singular - avtonomnyy okrug), 9 krays (kraya, singular - kray), 2 federal cities (goroda, singular - gorod), and 1 autonomous oblast (avtonomnaya oblast')

Russian republics were created on broadly ethnic lines

Republics have constitutions, parliaments, and governments that can pass their own laws so far as they don’t contradict Russian law.

Territories may pass their own charters and other legislative acts. Set local taxes and maintain public order and legal affairs

The trend recently is to grant greater powers of government to these administrative units and to reduce central government interference in local government.

Putin wanted a mechanism of central control of the provinces=Institution of Presidential Representatives 7 Federal administrative provinces. President appoints each personally. Each has a staff of 100 Each unit assumes and coordinates authority over officials from many other federal agencies that set up branches in the federal capitals. Examples: Ministry of Justice, Tax Police, FSB

* Purpose: To have agents of the central state who would remain unswervingly loyal to directives from Moscow. They could be removed if they failed to bring provincial legislation in line with federal law.

* In the past, Governors ran their regions like personal kingdoms and flouted federal law. Now there is more control over them.

II. The Party System

Has beginnings in Perestroika era. Many political organizations and movements began during this era and created the foundation for a multi-party system.

After the fall of communism, political parties were allowed again.

1994-60 political parties

1999-over 100

2003-23

2018-64 registered parties, only 4 hold representation in Russia's national legislature.

The main parties are: A Just Russia [Sergey MIRONOV, Civic Platform or CP [Rifat SHAYKHUTDINOV], Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy ZYUGANOV], Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [VladimirZHIRINOVSKIY], Rodina [Aleksei ZHURAVLYOV], United Russia [Dmitriy MEDVEDEV]

3. Four types of Political Parties

Communists: Want to see Russia become a Superpower with a state-run planned economy, following Marxist principles. Some desire restoration of the Soviet Union. Some invoke “socialism with a human face”.

Nationalists: Russia as a Superpower. Russians are the dominant ethnic group. Various views on the market economy and political pluralism. Often backed by paramilitary structures led by former “black berets” and Afghan war vets.

*In 1993, Vladimir Zhirinovsky”s party received 23% of the votes for parliament. He openly proclaims that Russia should become a colonial power and regain its former territories of the tsarist regime including Poland, Finland, and Alaska. In the 2000 elections, he received 2.7% of the vote.

c. Democrats: They are pro-Western and in favor of a free-market economy. These groups represent young, progressively minded professionals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs.

d. Pro-Government Party (President’s Party) United Russia: Putin began a tradition of gathering his power base and giving it party status. This party is not formed for ideological reasons, but to create a pro-government, pro-presidential bloc in the Duma. Putin is not a member of this party officially.

III. Who is in power?

President-Vladimir Putin

Prime Minister-Mikhail Mishustin

Study Guide Questions

1. How many years does the President serve? How many terms?

2. What is the Prime Minister’s position?

3. Name the two parts of the Russian Legislature.

4. What is the Institution of Presidential Representatives? Why was it created?

5. Who hand-picked Dmitri Medvedev as the new Russian President?

6. What are two political parties that have influence in Russian politics besides United Russia?

7. What is the party “United Russia”?

8. When are the next parliamentary elections? (go on the Internet to find this)

9. When are the next presidential elections? (go on the Internet to find this)

10. Who are the President and Prime Minister of Russia?