Russia

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Russia Image File history File links Coat_of_Arms_of_the_Russian_Federation. ... The politics of Russia (the Russian Federation) take place in a framework of a federal presidential republic. ...

Constitution President: Vladimir Putin Presidential Administration Government Prime Minister: Mikhail Fradkov Federal Assembly Federation Council State Duma Judiciary (Russian Constitution) Constitutional Court Supreme Court Supreme Court of Arbitration Public Chamber State Council Law system Political parties Elections in Russia President: 2000 - 2004 - 2008 Parliamentary: 2003 - 2007 Central Election Commission Subdivisions Federal subjects Human rights Foreign relations

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Federation Council of Russia (Russian: Сове́т Федера́ции; Sovet Federatsii) is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (parliament of the Russian Federation), according to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation. Each of the 86^[1] federal subjects of Russia, consisting of 21 republics, 48 oblasts, seven krais, two federal cities, seven autonomous okrugs, and one autonomous oblast send two senators to the Council. As of February 2007, the total body of the Federation Council is 176 senators.^[2] The President of Russia (ru: Президент России is the highest position within the Government of Russia. ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the incumbent President of Russia. ... The Russian presidential administration (also known as Staff of Russia’s president, Presidential Executive Office, in Russian: Администрация Президента Российской Федерации)) is the executive office of Russias president created by a decree of Boris Yeltsin on July 19, 1991 as an institution supporting the activity of the president (then Yeltsin) and vice-president... The Prime Minister of Russia is the current Head of Government of the Russian Federation. ... Mikhail Yefimovich Fradkov (Russian: Михаи́л Ефи́мович Фрадко́в) (born September 1, 1950) is a Russian politician, and the current Prime Minister of Russia. ... Federal Assembly of Russia (Федеральное Собрание) is the name of the parliament of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of Russian Federation, 1993. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ... The Russian judiciary has judicial appeal and judicial review at the level of the Supreme Court. ... Constitutional Court of Russian Federation (Russian: Конституционный Суд Российской Федерации) is a high court which is empowered to rule on whether or not certain laws or presidential decrees are in fact contrary to the Constitution of Russia. ... The Supreme Court of the Russian Federation (Russian: ) is the final instance in administrative law, civil law and criminal law cases. ... The Supreme Court of Arbitration of the Russian Federation is the final instance in commercial disputes in Russia. ... The Public Chamber (In Russian: Общественная палата) is a state institution with 126 members created in 2005 in Russia to analyze draft legislation and monitor the activities of the parliament, government and other government bodies of Russia and its Federal Subjects. ... The State Council of the Russian Federation (Russian: Государственный Совет) is an advisory body to the Head of State, which deals with issues of the highest importance to the state as a whole. ... The primary and fundamental statement of laws in the Russian Federation is the Constitution of the Russian Federation. ... Political parties in Russia lists political parties in Russia. ... Elections in Russia gives information on election and election results in Russia. ... Presidential elections were held in the Russian Federation on March 26, 2000. ... Presidential elections were held in the Russian Federation on March 14, 2004. ... The Russian Presidential election of 2008, scheduled to be held in March 2008, is widely expected to be a three-horse race between the official Kremlin-backed candidate, the candidate of the left-wing nationalist forces and the nominee of the democratic opposition. ... Legislative elections were held in the Russian Federation on December 7, 2003. ... Russia will have Duma elections on December 2, 2007. ... The Central Election Commission of Russia is the superior power body responsible for conducting federal elections and overseeing local elections in the Russian Federation founded in Spetember 1993. ... Russia is a federation which consists of 86 subjects[1]. These subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament). ... According to the current Ombudsman of Russia, Vladimir Lukin,[1] despite certain positive changes, the situation with human rights in Russia in 2005 remained unsatisfactory. ... Regarding the foreign relations of Russia, Russia has taken important steps to become a full partner in the worlds principal political groupings. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. ... Federal Assembly of Russia (Федеральное Собрание) is the name of the parliament of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of Russian Federation, 1993. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Конституция Российской Федерации) was adopted by national referendum on December 12, 1993 replacing the previous Soviet-era Constitution of April 12, 1978 of Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. ... Russia is a federation which consists of 86 subjects[1]. These subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament). ... The Russian Federation is divided into 88 federal subjects (constituent units), 21 of which are republics. ... The Russian Federation is divided into 89 subjects (administrative units), 49 of which are oblasts: Amur Arkhangelsk Astrakhan Belgorod Bryansk Chelyabinsk Chita Irkutsk Ivanovo Kaliningrad Kaluga Kamchatka Kemerovo Kirov Kostroma Kurgan Kursk Leningrad Lipetsk Magadan Moscow Murmansk Nizhny Novgorod Novgorod Novosibirsk Omsk Orenburg Oryol Penza Perm Pskov Rostov Ryazan Sakhalin... The Russian Federation is divided into 89 subjects (administrative units), 6 of which are krais: Altai Krai Khabarovsk Krai Krasnodar Krai Krasnoyarsk Krai Primorsky Krai Stavropol Krai 1. ... This article is being considered for deletion, in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Russia is divided into 88 federal subjects (subjekty), of which nine are avtonomnyye okruga (autonomous districts, sing. ... The Russian Federation is divided into 89 subjects (administrative units), 1 of which is an autonomous oblast: Jewish Autonomous Oblast See also Republics of Russia Krais of Russia Oblasts of Russia Autonomous Districts of Russia Federal cities of Russia Categories: Subdivisions of Russia | Autonomous Oblasts of Russia ... A senate is a deliberative body, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature. ...

The Council holds its sessions within the Main Building on Bolshaya Dmitrovka Street in Moscow, the former home of the Soviet State Building Agency (Gosstroi), with further offices and committee rooms located on Novy Arbat St. The two houses of the Federal Assembly are physically separated, with the State Duma residing in another part of Moscow. Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

History

The modern history of the Federation Council begins during the 1993 Constitutional Crisis that pitted President Boris Yeltsin’s unpopular neoliberal and governmental structure reforms against the increasingly radical Congress of People’s Deputies, then the nation’s legislature. Throughout the year, the congress had grown increasingly dissatisfied with Yeltsin and his cabinet’s direction of the floundering Russian economy, as well as its plans to replace the Soviet-era 1978 Russian SFSR Constitution—which was still the constitution of Russian Federation—with a new one. In the midst of the increasingly tense crisis, on September 21, Yeltsin issued Presidential Decree 1400. The decree effectively scrapped constitutional reform then presently in discussion, as well as legally dissolving the Congress of People’s Deputies, ordering its replacement with an entirely new federal legislative structure, and granting the president increased executive powers. Following a war of words and acts of defiance from both sides, President Yeltsin abruptly ended the governmental power struggle by ordering the Russian army to bombard and storm the White House of Russia, then Russia’s legislative building between October 2-4 1993. Boris Yeltsin was President of the Russian Federation at the time of the crisis. ... Yeltsin redirects here. ... The term neoliberalism is used to describe a political-economic philosophy that had major implications for government policies beginning in the 1970s – and increasingly prominent since 1980 – that de-emphasizes or rejects positive government intervention in the economy, focusing instead on achieving progress and even social justice by... The Congress of Soviets was the supreme governing body of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Soviet Union in two periods, from 1917 to 1936 and from 1989 to 1993. ... Although only half the size of the former Soviet economy, which was second in the world, the economy of Russia includes formidable assets, and Russia is increasingly becoming again an economic superpower. ... Soviet redirects here. ... State motto: Russian: Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! Translation: Workers of the world, unite! Capital Moscow Official language Russian Established In the USSR:  - Since  - Until November 7, 1917 November 7, 1917 December 12, 1991 (dissolution) Area  - Total  - Water (%) Ranked 1st in the USSR 17,075,200 km² 13% Population  - Total   - Density Ranked 1st in the... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... A map displaying todays federations. ... In russian, word army means armed forces in general. ... The White House of Russia, also known as the Russian White House, is a government building in Moscow that housed the Russian parliament until the crisis of 3 October 1993 when an uprising lead to siege and artillery attacks on White House that caused a major fire. ... October 2nd is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... October 4 is the 277th day of the year (278th in Leap years). ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

President Boris Yeltsin was instrumental in the creation of the Federation Council in 1993

Following the crushing of the Congress of People’s Deputies and other members of the federal and territorial governments who had initially supported what he viewed as a rebellious legislature, Yeltsin went on his way to present a new constitution. With the events of 1993 very much in mind, Yeltsin drafted a constitution that called for increased executive branch powers in prime ministerial appointments, veto overrides, and a stronger executive security council. The constitution also called for the creation of a bicameral legislature to be called the Federal Assembly, consisting of a lower house State Duma, and an upper house Federation Council. Although a Federation Council had been created by Yeltsin in July 1993 to gather regional representatives (except Chechnya) to support an earlier draft of a replacement constitution to the 1978 document, this Federation Council was to become a permanent part of the legislature. Image File history File links Boris_Yeltsin_1993. ... Image File history File links Boris_Yeltsin_1993. ... Yeltsin redirects here. ... A map displaying todays federations. ... The Prime Minister of Russia is the current Head of Government of the Russian Federation. ... In government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. ... A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ... An upper house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. ... 1993 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... Chechen Republic (IPA: ; Russian: , Chechenskaya Respublika; Chechen: , Noxçiyn Respublika), or, informally, Chechnya (; Russian: ; Chechen: , Noxçiyçö), sometimes referred to as Ichkeria, Chechnia, Chechenia or Nokhchiyn, is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

Similar to the United States Senate, the Federation Council would consist of two representatives from each of Russia’s federal subjects. Unlike the State Duma, which consisted of hundreds of districts across the nation, the Federation Council was to act as more or less the voice of Russia’s federated subdivisions. Early debate on its creation centered on whether or not should the Federation Council be elected at all. To solve some problems on the upper house’s first scheduled election in December, Yeltsin issued Presidential Decree 1628 on October 11, stipulating that candidates for the first elections needed at least two percent, or 25,000 signatures—whichever was highest—of their oblast, republic, krai, autonomous okrug, or federal city population. This helped previous territorial elites remain within national politics. The decree also stipulated a single term of two years before new elections in 1995. Seal of the U.S. Senate Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      Senate composition following 2006 elections The United States Senate is... Russia is a federation which consists of 86 subjects[1]. These subjects are of equal federal rights in the sense that they have equal representation—two delegates each—in the Federation Council (upper house of the Russian parliament). ... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Council’s first elections occurred on December 12, 1993 running simultaneously with State Duma elections and a referendum on the new Constitution of the Russian Federation. With the constitution now in effect after its successful passage, elections for the Council were to be franchised solely to territorial authorities, with one senator elected from the subject’s legislature, and the other by the subject’s executive branch. This later was codified in 1995 when the Council’s first term expired. (Redirected from 12 December) December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Конституция Российской Федерации) was adopted by national referendum on December 12, 1993 replacing the previous Soviet-era Constitution of April 12, 1978 of Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. ...

The constitution, however, did not specify how senators were to be elected. By 1995, using this constitutional anomaly, regional executives could sit ex officio in both their own provincial executive posts and within the Federation Council. While the State Duma did much of the serious debates on Russian policy during this time, the Council became a lobby for regional interests, competing for federal attention. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A map displaying todays federations. ...

The ascension of President Vladimir Putin following Yeltsin’s resignation on December 31, 1999 brought many new changes to the Federation Council. As part of his top political goals in his first months of office in 2000, Putin proposed a reform law to change the makeup of the Council. Putin envisioned an upper house where regional executives had to chose designates, freeing it from what he saw as blatant personal cronyism on the part of provincial leaders. The Council furiously resisted Putin's plan, conscious that their role in federal politics, their very ability to enjoy the fruits of living within Moscow, and their parliamentary immunity would end. With the State Duma threatening to override a Council veto, and Putin’s threats to open federal criminal investigations on regional governors, the Council backed down and grudgingly supported the law in July 2000. In their place, a wave of new Kremlin-friendly senators took the vacated seats, complete with the full backing of Putin. The last of these dual senator-governors were rotated out of office in early 2002. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the incumbent President of Russia. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Nepotism This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ... Parliamentary immunity is a system in which members of the parliament are granted partial immunity from prosecution. ... 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in July, 2000. ...

Following the Beslan school hostage crisis in September 2004, President Putin initiated a radical shakeup of the federal system, proposing that the direct elections of regional governors be replaced by appointments from the president himself. These appointments could later be confirmed or rejected by the provincial legislatures. The move further placed more control over the Council by the executive branch, due to laws which stipulate that regional executives have a say in choosing delegates to the upper house. The Beslan school hostage crisis (also referred to as the Beslan school siege or Beslan Massacre) began when Muslim terrorists[1] took more than 1,200 school children and adults hostage on September 1, 2004, at School Number One (SNO) in the town of Beslan, North Ossetia (an autonomous republic... September 2004 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December See also: September 2004 in sports Events Deaths in September • 27 Tsai Wan-lin • 24 Françoise Sagan • 20 Brian Clough • 18 Russ Meyer • 15 Johnny Ramone • 12 Fred Ebb • 11 Peter VII of Alexandria • 8... Political federalism is a political philosophy in which a group or body of members are bound together (Latin: foedus, covenant) with a governing representative head. ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the incumbent President of Russia. ...

Since 2000, the Federation Council has largely remained a stable body. However critics have charged Putin’s tactics in reforming the upper house as being blatantly undemocratic and anti-federal, arguing that Putin's reforms have created a rubber stamp body for the executive branch and the ruling United Russia party, similar to what the Soviet of Nationalities was during the USSR period. 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rubber stamp, is a political metaphor referring to an institution that has little power and rarely disagrees with more powerful organs, though usually it formally has much greater power. ... The executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law and running the day-to-day affairs of the government or state. ... Vladimir Putin with United Russia emblem in the background United Russia (Yedinaya Rossiya, Russian Единая Россия; the more correct translation is Unified Russia) is a political party in Russia which usually labels itself centrist. ... The Soviet of Nationalities (Совет Национальностей in Russian), was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the principles of Soviet democracy. ...

Officers and members

As set in Article 101 of the Russian Constitution, the Federation Council “shall elect among its deputies the Chairman of the Council.” Some of the Chairman’s official duties include presiding over sessions, formulating and introducing draft agendas, issuing orders and consulting with the Council’s various committees, acting as the upper house’s official representative in the Federal Assembly, and signing resolutions to be passed forth to the president or the State Duma. The current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Конституция Российской Федерации) was adopted by national referendum on December 12, 1993 replacing the previous Soviet-era Constitution of April 12, 1978 of Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic. ... Federal Assembly of Russia (Федеральное Собрание) is the name of the parliament of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of Russian Federation, 1993. ... The President of Russia (ru: Президент России is the highest position within the Government of Russia. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

Sergey Mironov has been Chairman of the Council since 2002

The current Chairman is Sergey Mironov. Elected to the Council by the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly in June 2001, Mironov quickly assumed the Chairmanship in December 2001, despite his lack of experience in the upper house. Mironov is considered to be a close ally to President Putin; both incidentally are from St. Petersburg. ImageMetadata File history File links Sergey_mironov. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Sergey_mironov. ... Sergey Mironov Sergey Mironov (Russian: Сергей Миронов )(b. ... Sergey Mironov Sergey Mironov (Russian: Сергей Миронов )(b. ... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and... Saint Petersburg (Russian: Санкт-Петербу́рг, English transliteration: Sankt-Peterburg), colloquially known as Питер (transliterated Piter), formerly known as Leningrad (Ленингра́д, 1924–1991) and...

Unlike the State Duma, with its division of parties and leaders, the Council has explicitly stated that no political factions are to exist in the upper house. In 2001, nearly 100 senators created a loose caucus called Federation, supporting President Putin on nearly all of his policies. Parties, however, were discouraged in 2002, following Mironov’s election to the Chairmanship and his instructions to disband all political factions. This leaves the Council with a considerable amount of consensus politics, where laws are relatively easily debated upon through the guidance of the Chairman and the various committee and commission chairs. Senators are able to retain membership to their respective parties, however they are asked not to bring party factionalism to floor itself. Since the reforms of 2000, the Council has enjoyed a significantly close relationship with the Kremlin, helping easy passage of key legislation the Kremlin desires. For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ... Political parties Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A political party is a political organization that seeks to attain political power within a government, usually by participating in electoral campaigns. ... The President of Russia (ru: Президент России is the highest position within the Government of Russia. ...

According to Article 98, all 178 members of the Council enjoy immunity from arrest, detainment, and searches. Parliamentary immunity is a system in which members of the parliament are granted partial immunity from prosecution. ...

Elections

Unlike the State Duma and the provincial legislatures throughout Russia, the Council is not directly elected, but instead chosen by territorial politicians, resembling in some respects to the structure of the U.S. Senate prior to the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913. The United States Senate is the upper house of the U.S. Congress, smaller than the United States House of Representatives. ... Amendment XVII (the Seventeenth Amendment) of the United States Constitution proposed on May 13, 1912 and ratified on April 8, 1913 and first in effect for the election of 1914, amends Article 1 Section 3 of the Constitution to provide for the direct election of Senators by the people of... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ...

According to Article 95, the Council comprises representatives of each Russian federal subject—two from each. One senator is elected by the provincial legislature. The other is nominated by the provincial governor and confirmed by the legislature. Prior to 2000, all provincial governors sat in the Council while continuing to hold their territorial offices at the same time. Upon President Putin’s ascension to the Russian presidency, this practice was discontinued under pressure from the Kremlin, forbidding governors to hold dual posts. For other uses, see Governor (disambiguation). ... Moscow Kremlin in the 19th century. ...

Terms to the Council are also not nationally fixed, due to the continuing territorial nature of the upper house. Terms instead are determined according to the regional bodies they represent.

In 2001-2004 regional bodies were able to recall their senator by the same procedure as they've appointed him or her. Such recalls were quite often. But a new law passed in December 2004 required that a recall procedure must be first initiated by the chairman of Federation Council. The procedure wasn't implemented since.

Powers

As the upper house of the Federal Assembly, the Federation Council is viewed as a more formal chamber than the lower house State Duma. Because of its federalist design, as well as its voting franchise strictly limited to provincial elites, the Council is viewed as less volatile to radical changes. Federal Assembly of Russia (Федеральное Собрание) is the name of the parliament of the Russian Federation, according to the Constitution of Russian Federation, 1993. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

The Council is charged in cooperating with the State Duma in completing and voting on draft laws. Federal laws concerning budgets, customs regulations, credit monitoring, and the ratification of international treaties are to be considered by the Council after they have been adopted from the State Duma, where most legislation is introduced. For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

Special powers that accorded only to the Federation Council are:

• Approval of changes in borders between subjects of the Russian Federation;
• Approval of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction of martial law;
• Approval of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction of a state of emergency;
• Deciding on the possibility of using the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
• Declaring of elections of the President of the Russian Federation;
• Impeachment of the President of the Russian Federation;
• appointment of judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation;
• Appointment and dismissal of the Attorney General of the Russian Federation;
• Appointment and dismissal of Deputy Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounting Chamber.

For laws to pass the Federation Council, a vote of more than half of its 178 senators is required. When considering federal constitutional laws, ¾ of the Council’s votes are required for passage. If the Council vetoes a law passed by the State Duma, the two chambers are mandated to form a Conciliation Committee in order to form a compromise document, which would again go under vote by both houses. The Federation Council's veto can be overcome by two-thirds majority in the Duma. Decree is an order that has the force of law. ... For other uses, see Martial law (disambiguation). ... Superscript text This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Committees

Committees form a key component to the structure of the Council. Sixteen committees and seven commissions exist for senators to consider legislation and policy on a number of issues ranging from foreign affairs, federal affairs, and youth and sports. Leadership in these committees are determined by the Council Chairman, who remains in correspondence with their findings. These committees include:

• Committee on Constitutional Legislation
• Committee on Judicial and Legal Affairs
• Committee on Defence and Security
• Budgetary Committee
• Committee on Financial Markets and Currency Circulation
• Foreign Affairs Committee
• Committee on the Commonwealth of Independent States
• Committee on Federal Affairs and Regional Policies
• Committee on Local Government
• Social Policy Committee
• Committee on Economic Policy, Business and Ownership
• Industrial Policy Committee
• Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
• Committee on Food and Agricultural Policies
• Committee for Science, Culture, Education, Public Health and Ecology
• Committee on Northern Territories and Indigenous Minorities
• Commission on Standing Orders and Parliamentary Performance Organisation
• Commission for the Council of Federation's Performance Maintenance Monitoring
• Commission on Ways and Means of the Council of Federation's Constitutional Powers Implementation
• Commission for Interaction with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation
• Commission on Youth and Sports
• Commission on Information Policy
• Commission on Natural Monopolies

Chairmen of the Federation Council

• Vladimir Shumeiko (1993-1995)
• Egor Stroev (1996-2001)
• Sergey Mironov (2002-Present)

Vladimir Filippovich Shumeiko (Russian: Владимир Филиппович Шумейко) (b. ... Sergey Mironov Sergey Mironov (Russian: Сергей Миронов )(b. ...

Presidential Envoys to the Federation Council

• Alexander Yakovlev (February 18, 1994, – February 10, 1996)
• Anatoly Sliva (February 10, 1996, – October 27, 1998)
• Yury Yarov (December 7, 1998, – April 13, 1999)
• Vyacheslav Khizhnyakov (May 12, 1999, – April 5, 2004)
• Alexander Kotenkov (since April 5, 2004)

Alexander Yakovlev may refer to: Alexander Nikolaevich Yakovlev, a prominent supporter of glasnost and ally of Mikhael Gorbachev in the 1980s. ... February 18 is the 49th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... February 10 is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... October 27 is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 65 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... Yury Yerov (born 1942) was a Russian politician. ... December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean [1]. // Coated in ice, power and telephone lines sag and often break, resulting in power outages. ... April 13 is the 103rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (104th in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... May 12 is the 132nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (133rd in leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... April 5 is the 95th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (96th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Criticisms

Critics to the Federation Council stress that the upper house is an inherently undemocratic body made for regional elites, with little say from the Russian people. Since the reforms advocated and passed by President Putin in 2000, critics have also charged that the Council resembles more of a rubber stamp body for the Kremlin than an independent legislative body. Many senators, including Council Chairman Sergey Mironov, are viewed as close allies of Putin and the United Russia party, despite rules with explicitly spell out that political factions are not allowed. Since Mironov’s rise in the Council in 2002, the Kremlin’s position on impending legislation is closely communicated to and coordinated with the Chairman and the committee and commission chairs. This top-down approach has meant that the Council votes with extreme efficiency, backing Kremlin positions on legislation nearly all of the time. Rubber stamp, is a political metaphor referring to an institution that has little power and rarely disagrees with more powerful organs, though usually it formally has much greater power. ... Moscow Kremlin in the 19th century. ... Sergey Mironov Sergey Mironov (Russian: Сергей Миронов )(b. ... Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the incumbent President of Russia. ... Vladimir Putin with United Russia emblem in the background United Russia (Yedinaya Rossiya, Russian Единая Россия; the more correct translation is Unified Russia) is a political party in Russia which usually labels itself centrist. ...

Critics also point to how long the Council convenes, meeting only one day every two weeks, speeding through legislative analysis and providing lop-sided majorities for each vote. Many blame this speedy legislation on the enormous influence the Kremlin exerts, who they charge have already instructed Council committee and commission chairs on how to vote. Several left-leaning State Duma deputies have lamented that Putin has stripped away the upper house’s last hold on checks and balances. In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... The doctrine and practice of dispersing political power and creating mutual accountability between political entities such as the courts, the president or prime minister, the legislature, and the citizens. ...

Since Putin’s restructuring of provincial executives in 2004, placing them under direct appointment by the Kremlin upon approval of their legislatures, federalist supporters have also charged the president in reducing the provincial role of the upper house. Where Yeltsin had envisioned an upper house composing of regional concerns, they argue, critics view Putin's restructuring as deeply centralizing the Council to reflect the president’s and United Russia’s political interests, taking away provincial voices. Putin supporters counter these criticisms by acknowledging that Yeltsin had also appointed governors to Russia's federal subjects in the early days of the Federation. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Yeltsin redirects here. ... Motto: none Anthem: Hymn of the Russian Federation Capital Moscow Largest city Moscow Official language(s) Russian Government Semi-presidential Federal republic  - President of Russia Vladimir Putin  - Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov Independence From the Soviet Union   - Declared June 12, 1991   - Finalized December 25, 1991  Area    - Total 17,075,400 km...

See also

• Politics of Russia
• State Duma

The politics of Russia (the Russian Federation) take place in a framework of a federal presidential republic. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...

Notes

The current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Конституция Российской Федерации) was adopted by national referendum on December 12, 1993 replacing the previous Soviet-era Constitution of April 12, 1978 of Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic following the Russian constitutional crisis of 1993. ... Evenk Autonomous Okrug (Russian: ), or Evenkia, is a federal subject of Russia (an autonomous okrug of Krasnoyarsk Krai). ... Taymyr Autonomous Okrug (Russian: ), or Taymyria, is a federal subject of Russia (an autonomous okrug of Krasnoyarsk Krai), the northernmost in mainland Russia (and thus Asia). ... Krasnoyarsk Krai (Russian: ) (2002 pop. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

References

• McFaul, Michael. Russia's Unfinished Revolution. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 2001.
• Herspring, Dale R. Putin's Russia. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, 2005.

External links

• Official Website of the Federation Council (English)
• Official Website of the Federation Council (Russian)
• Official Website of the Chairman of the Federation Council(English)

	Federal Assembly of Russia
	Capital: Moscow State Duma | Federation Council of Russia Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ... For other uses, see State Duma (disambiguation). ...