The Russian President also appoints the judges of the federal courts. Judges of both the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court are appointed by the Federation Council based on a proposal by the Russian President. The highest courts in Russia are the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The Constitution of the Russian Federation also establishes a judicial branch that is supposed to act independently of the executive and legislative branches of government. Also, the Russian President has the right to appoint his own representatives to the Federation Council, so long as their numbers do not exceed 10% of all its members. One representative represents the legislative branches of the constituent entities, and the other represents the executives of those entities. The Federation Council consists of two representatives from each constituent entity of the Russian Federation. The State Duma is composed of 450 members, who are elected for terms of five years. The lower house is the previously-mentioned State Duma, and the upper house is called the Federation Council. The Prime Minister then appoints members of his or her cabinet, who head government ministries and departments, such as the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Īrticle 94 of the Russian constitution puts legislative power in the hands of the Federal Assembly, which is a bicameral legislature composed of two houses. It is the job of the Russian President to appoint a Prime Minister, which must be approved by the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, known as the Federal Assembly. It also proclaims the independence of the three branches. Article 10 of the constitution mentions the executive, legislative, and judicial branches that one would expect to find in any modern democracy, as well as the powers of those branches. This constitution supposedly protects people’s fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression and freedom of association. In 1993, a new constitution was ratified, formally making the country into a federal, democratic republic. From this point onward, Russia began a chaotic transition from a communist dictatorship to a capitalist, multiparty democracy. The Russian Federation, formerly the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, was one of 15 former Soviet republics to become independent. On December 25, 1991, the Soviet Union ceased to exist. Post-Soviet Russia’s Democratic Institutions Today, many believe that Putin now controls all levers of power in the country. Russia has all the working parts of a democratic state, but since Putin took power, experts believe these working parts have been made to serve him and those close to him. In practice, however, many regard it as a dictatorship built around one man, President Vladimir Putin, who has been the leader of the Russian Federation since the year 2000. On paper, Russia is a federal democratic state.
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