1. Government Institutions in Russia
Pick up the handout on the way in

2. Warm up Who is the father of communist Russia?
Define democratic centralism.
What were the 11 people that controlled the Soviet Union called?
What role did collective farms play in industrialization under Russia?
Identify and explain the three reforms enacted by Mikhail Gorbachev at the end of the Soviet Union.

3. Boris Yeltsin 1991—Soviet Union collapses, ___________ is out of a job
Russia elects Boris Yeltsin as its President
Yeltsin—Enacted “shock therapy”: Immediate market reforms(privatization and trade liberalization)

4. Shock therapy did not work to well
A few individuals (oligarchs?) gained control of most of the wealth in the country
Led to inflation and a recession
Yeltsin was also drunk and sick most of the time
Resigned in 1999, PM Putin took over and won 2000 election as President

6. Constitution of 1993 Creates a federalist system (supposedly)
Basis of Russian government
3 Branches of Government
Executive: President AND Prime Minister
Legislative: Bicameral Legislature
Judicial: Constitutional Court

7. Executive Branch—President
President—Head of state (but not just ceremonial, actually REALLY POWERFUL)
Appoints PM (with Duma’s approval)
Can issue decrees that the Duma has no control over
Can dissolve the Duma

8. Putin Picture of the Day!

9. Executive Branch—Prime Minister
Prime Minister—Head of government
Run the day to day operations of government
Reports to the President
Became more powerful when Putin became PM

10. Legislative Branch Bicameral legislature Lower house—Duma
Passes bills
Approves the Presidential budget
(Remember, can be dissolved by the President, and President can issue decrees)
Most legislation originates with PM or President, like in Britain

11. Legislative Branch—Federation Council (upper house)
2 members from all 89 federal administrative units (____________)
Represent regional interests
Only has the power to delay legislation, and can be overrided by the Duma
Sound familiar?
Has some powers it has never used before (use of armed forces, judge appointment/removal)

12. Judiciary Constitutional Court—
19 judges
1993 Constitution tried to make it independent of the presidency
Careful not to challenge Putin
Putin still moved the Court to St. Petersburg…why?
Supreme Court—Only for criminal/civil cases, not constitutional issues

14. Elections in Russia Referendums Duma Elections Presidential Elections
Referendums—Presidents call for a nation-wide vote on an issue
Had one for the Constitution of 1993

15. Presidential Elections
1 or 2 rounds
If someone wins a majority in the 1st round, election is over
If not, runoff between the top 2 candidate
Last election—Putin won 63%, no runoff needed

16. Duma Elections
Used to be ½ first-the-post, ½ proportional representation
2007—Became 100% proportional representation
Proportional Representation—Citizens vote for a party, not a candidate.
How ever many votes a party gets determines how many representatives they get (7% minimum)
Leads to multi-member districts
One party in the UK wants proportional representation—Who?
Party
Percentage of national vote
Seats in Duma
United Russia
49.5
238
Communist Party
19.2 92
A Just Russia
13.2 64
Liberal Democrat
11.7 56
Yabloko
3.43
Patriots of Russia
0.97
Right Cause
0.6

17. The Animal Kingdom!
Proportional Representation explained by the animal kingdom

18. So…
Single-member, first-past-the-post, plurality elections tend to lead to a two-party system in a country
Multi-member, proportional representation system tends to lead to multi-party systems
What leads to a one-party system?

19. Review Questions!
What type of government is set up by the Russian Constitution of 1993? What does that mean?
What is the difference between the head of state and the head of government in Russia?
How can the President challenge the authority of the Duma?
Why does proportional representation benefit 3rd party candidates?
Which do you prefer, single member, first-past-the-post elections, or multi-member, proportional elections?

20. Warm up-2008 FRQ #6