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