Russia: Government Profile
Overview of the Country’s Political Framework and Structure - 2008
Struggling to gain stability since the Soviet Union’s disintegration in 1991, Russia has recovered to become a formidable world power, thanks to advances made during the eight year presidency of Vladimir Putin.
Political System
The Russian Federation is considered a federal presidential republic, with the seat of government centered in the capital city, Moscow. The country gained its independence from the Soviet Union on August 24, 1991. The national holiday is Russia Day, celebrated on June 12.
Russia's current constitution was originally adopted via national referendum on December 12, 1993. The document allows for universal suffrage at 18 years of age.
Administrative Regions
The Russian Federation consists of 46 oblasts, 21 republics, 4 autonomous okrugs, 9 krays, 2 federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg) and one autonomous oblast (Yevrey).
Oblasts
- Amur (Blagoveshchensk)
- Arkhangel'sk
- Astrakhan
- Belgorod
- Bryansk
- Chelyabinsk
- Irkutsk
- Ivanovo
- Kaliningrad
- Kaluga
- Kemerovo
- Kirov
- Kostroma
- Kurgan
- Kursk
- Leningrad
- Lipetsk
- Magadan
- Moscow
- Murmansk
- Nizhniy Novgorod
- Novgorod
- Novosibirsk
- Omsk
- Orenburg
- Orel
- Penza
- Pskov
- Rostov
- Ryazan
- Sakhalin (Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk)
- Samara
- Saratov
- Smolensk
- Sverdlovsk (Yekaterinburg)
- Tambov
- Tomsk
- Tula
- Tver
- Tyumen
- Ul'yanovsk
- Vladimir
- Volgograd
- Vologda
- Voronezh
- Yaroslavl
Republics
- Adygeya
- Altay
- Bashkortostan
- Buryatiya
- Chechnya
- Chuvashiya
- Dagestan
- Ingushetiya
- Kabardino-Balkariya
- Kalmykiya
- Karachayevo-Cherkesiya
- Kareliya
- Khakasiya
- Komi
- Mariy-El
- Mordoviya
- North Ossetia
- Sakha
- Tatarstan
- Tyva
- Udmurtiya
Autonomous Okrugs
- Chukotka
- Khanty-Mansi
- Nenets
- Yamalo-Nenets
Krays
- Altay
- Kamchatka
- Khabarovsk
- Krasnodar
- Krasnoyarsk
- Perm
- Primorsk)
- Stavropol
- Zabaykal'skiy
Executive Branch
The President is Russia’s chief of state. This person is elected by popular vote to serve a four year term, and is eligible for a second term. Dmitry Medvedev, the current President, was sworn in to office on May 7, 2008.
The head of government is the Premier (Prime Minister), appointed by the President with approval from the State Duma. Vladimir Putin, former President and current Premier, began his official duties as Prime Minister on May 8, 2008. The First Vice-Chairmen of the Government are Victor Zubkov and Igor Shuvalov. Other Vice-Chairmen include Alexander Zhukov, Sergei Ivanov and Igor Sechin. Deputy Chairmen are Alexei Kudrin and Sergei Sobyanin, who also serves as Chief of Staff.
Members of the Ministry of Government are appointed by the President. The current ministers are:
- Agriculture - Alexei V. Gordeyev
- Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters - Sergei Shoigu Kuzhugetovich
- Communications and Mass Communications - Igor Shchegolev Olegovich
- Culture - Alexander Avdeyev
- Defense - Anatoly E. Serdyukov
- Economic Development - Nabiullin Elvira Sahipzadovna
- Education and Science - Andrei A. Fursenko
- Energy - Sergey Shmatko
- Finance - Alexei Kudrin
- Foreign Affairs - Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov
- Health and Social Development - Tatyana A. Golikova
- Industry and Trade - Viktor Borisovich Khristenko
- Internal Affairs - Rashid Nurgaliev Gumarovich
- Justice - Alexander Konovalov
- Natural Resources - Yuri Petrovich Trutnev
- Regional Development - Dmitry Nikolayevich Kozak
- Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy - Vitaly Mutko Leontevich
- Transport - Igor Levitin
Legislative Branch
Russia's Parliament is a bicameral body consisting of the 178-seat Federal Assembly (upper house) and the 450-seat State Duma (lower house). Members of the Federal Assembly are appointed by top executives and legislative officials in each of the 84 federal administrative units. State Duma members are elected to serve four year terms via proportional representation from lists of parties winning at least 7% of the vote.
The current structure of the State Duma, by political party is (number of seats):
- United Russia - 315
- Communist Party of the Russian Federation - 57
- Liberal Democratic Party of Russia - 40
- A Just Russia Party (pro-Kremlin) - 38
Judicial Branch
The country’s judicial branch consists of the Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and Supreme Arbitration Court. Judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council following the President's recommendation.
Legal System
Russia's legal system is based on civil law, and allows for judicial review of legislative acts. The country has not accepted compulsory International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction.
References
Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook. 2008.
Government of the Russian Federation Internet Portal.
President of Russia Official Website.
