institutions of russia
Post on 19-Jan-2016
53 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
Although the Soviet Union was highly centralized, it still maintained a federal government structure
Russian Federation has retained this model, with the current regime consisting of 89 regions, 21 of which are ethnically non-Russian by majority
Each region is bound by treaty to the Federation, not all have officially signed on (Chechnya)
Most regions are called “republics” Many republics ruled themselves independently,
but Putin has cracked down on this Putin ended direct election of the 89 regional
governors, they are now nominated by the president and confirmed by the regional legislatures
Political PartiesElections Interest GroupsMedia
Began forming after Revolution of 1991 Small, factional Formed around particular leaders
“Bloc of General Andrey Nikolaev and Academician Svyaloslav Fyodorov”
“Yuri Boldyrev Movement” (“Yabloko”) Formed around particular issues
“Party of Pensioners” “Agrarian Party of Russia” “United Civil Front”-Garry Kasparov (focused on
opposing the administration of Putin) “Women of Russia”▪ Political Parties Today (United Russia, Communist Party,
Reform Parties)
Founded in April 2001 Merger between “Fatherland All-Russia” Party and
the “United Party of Russia” United Party put together by oligarch Boris Berezovsky
and other entrepreneurs to support Putin in the election of 2000 (later accused of fraud by Putin and lives in England)
Merger put even more political support behind Putin
United Russia won 221 of the 450 Duma seats in 2004 elections
Putin won re-election in 2004 as the United Russia candidate
United Russia is hard to define other than that it is pro-Putin
Communist Party of the old Soviet Union (CPSU) After 1995 elections held 157 of the 450 Duma
seats After parliamentary election of 2003 only retained
51 of the 450 Duma seats Party leader Gennady Zyuganov finished second in
the 1996 and 2000 elections, but support for the party dropped each time, he withdrew from the race in the 2004 election
Party was weakened in 2004 when a breakaway faction led by Vladimir Tikhonov split from the party
Party is less reformist than other parties, Zyuganov opposed the reforms initiated by Gorbachev
Party emphasizes central planning and nationalism Would like to see Russia regain territories it lost
after Soviet Union dissolution
Communist Party of the old Soviet Union (CPSU) After 1995 elections held 157 of the 450 Duma
seats After parliamentary election of 2003 only retained
51 of the 450 Duma seats Party leader Gennady Zyuganov finished second in
the 1996 and 2000 elections, but support for the party dropped each time, he withdrew from the race in the 2004 election
Party was weakened in 2004 when a breakaway faction led by Vladimir Tikhonov split from the party
Party is less reformist than other parties, Zyuganov opposed the reforms initiated by Gorbachev
Party emphasizes central planning and nationalism Would like to see Russia regain territories it lost
after Soviet Union dissolution
Controversial party Headed by Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Extreme nationalist Anti-semitic Sexist Attacks reformist leaders and disliked Yeltsin Said he would use nuclear weapons on Japan if he were
elected Party reformulated as “Zhirinovsky’s Bloc” for
2000 presidential election, he received 2.7% of vote
Party did receive about 11% of vote in 2003 Duma elections (won 37 seats)
3 types
Referendum
Duma Elections
Presidential Elections
March 1993 parliament attempts to impeach Yeltsin
Legislative-led coup tries to usurp control of the government
Yeltsin dissolves legislature, calls for new elections
Although opposition leaders were arrested, Yeltsin’s opponents won the majority in the new legislature Radical Vladimir Zhirinovsky’s Liberal Party did surprisingly well
Despite losing control of the legislature Yeltsin was able to get approval for the new constitution: Constitution of 1993
Created a three-branch government President & Prime Minister Lower legislative house (DUMA) Constitutional Court
Referendum - allowed for president to call for national referenda by popular vote on important issues▪ Yeltsin’s first referendum was on his job performance▪ Second was for approval of the constitution itself
Oligarchy▪ Tied closely with the Yeltsin family▪ By mid-1990s monopolized
Russian industry and built huge fortunes
▪ Boris Berezovsky – admitted that he and six other entrepreneurs controlled over half the GNP
▪ Dominant in oil, media, and television industries
▪ Helped Yeltsin win 1996 election▪ Created and financed the Unity
Party in 2000 and got Vladimir Putin elected
▪ Putin has cracked down on “independent minded” oligarchs and has taken control of media and oil industry
Russian Mafia▪ Larger and perhaps even
more influential than the oligarchy
▪ Initially involved in underworld crime
▪ During Revolution of 1991 gained control of businesses, natural resources, and banks
▪ Involved in money laundering, drugs, prostitution, and business payoffs (“protection money”)
▪ Includes former members of the KGB
Huge fortunes made by oligarchs and the mafia offend the equality of opportunity principle of the Russian people
In the past, lawlessness in Russia has been dealt with by repressive, authoritarian rule, and these groups represent a threat to the new democracy
Putin arrested television magnate Vladimir Gusinsky for corruption and his company was given to a state-owned monopoly
In 2003, Mikhail Khodorvsky, the richest man in Russia and CEO of the Yukos Oil Company was arrested as a signal that the Russian government was consolidating power
Yukos was slapped with massive penalties and additional taxes, forcing it into bankruptcy
Russian Media – a linkage institution with close ties to both the state and the oligarchy, has been manipulated by dominant political and interest groups to pursue their own causes
Key Associational Groups Russian Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs (RUIE)▪ Desire for individual firms to be friendly with
President limits its action (Yukos Affair) League of Committees of Soldiers’ Mothers Federation of Independent Trade Unions of
Russia (FITUR)
Duties of the President▪ Appoints the prime minister and cabinet – Duma
must approve prime minister’s appointment, but if they reject the president’s nominee three times, the president may dissolve the Duma (power ministries responsible to president, core of security council)
▪ Issue decrees that have force of law – cabinet has great deal of power, Duma can not censure cabinet according to Constitution of 1993
▪ Dissolve the Duma – done by Yeltsin during legislative coup attempt of 1993
▪ Veto – President has power of veto passed by Duma▪ Directly elected by two-ballot system (similar to France)▪ President is limited to two terms (Putin attempted to eliminate
this rule in 2004, but was not adopted)
Prime Minister: relationship between PM and President not exactly clear, but with no vice-president if anything happens to president the PM assumes the office of president
Prime Minister is nominated by President and approved by the Duma
Can be removed by Duma if two repeat votes of no confidence are passed within a three-month period
Oversees the “non-power” ministries run by bureaucrats who are holdovers from the Soviet nomenklatura system
Russia contains a large bureaucracy, a holdover from the Soviet days, and a presidential administration that serves the president directly
The heads of the various ministries are career bureaucrats Patron-client networks are important for
career opportunities and advancement
Duma Lower House 450 deputies All seats based on
proportional representation (2005 ); must win 7% of popular vote to gain seats▪ Designed to strengthen
political party system Passes Bills Approves Budgets Confirms president’s
political appointments “Could” override vetoes
Federation Council Upper House Two members elected
from each of the 89 regions of the federation
Power to delay legislation▪ On paper Federation
Council can change boundaries of republics, ratify use of armed forces, and appoint and remove judges. These powers have yet to be used however
▪ Meets once every 2 weeks
Supreme Court Created by 1993 Constitution Serves as final court of appeals in criminal
& civil cases Constitutional Court
Created by 1993 Constitution 19 members Appointed by president and confirmed by
Federation Council Adjudicate disputes on the
constitutionality of federal and regional laws
Was a source of strength during the Soviet era, 1945-1991
Once stood at over 4 million men
Generally did not get involved in politics, this continues under the Russian Federation
Russian Federation relies on a system of universal male conscription, but many rejected for health reasons
Suffered significant humiliation from the late 1980’s to early 21st century Withdrawal from Afghanistan Defeated by Chechen guerrillas in 1994-1996 conflict Often ill-equipped, Russian soldiers had to feed themselves and
went unpaid for months in late 1990’s and early 21st century
Relations with Former Republics Confederation of
Independent States (CIS) Russia is the clear leader
of organization Is not nearly as successful,
economically and politically, as the EU
Bonded together by trade agreements
Putin’s meddling in Ukrainian election of 2004 was cause for concern
Relations with the World Adjustment period for
Russia following Cold War and loss of superpower status
Offered aid and foreign investment by U.S.
Accepted into the G-7 (now known as G-8)
UN Security Council permanent member
Russia set to join the WTO in July 2007
top related