G O V E RN M E N T

OF RUSSIA
presented by Risky Amalia
The government of Russia is a federal semi-
presidential republic, according to the 1993
Constitution. Under a semi-presidential structure
the President, and the Prime Minister share
governing responsibilities as the head of state and
head of government, respectively. The President
does, however, hold more power. Multiple political
parties are represented throughout the
government and its administration. Three branches
share the responsibilities of running the country:
the executive branch, the legislative branch, and
the judicial branch.
P O L ITIC S O F R U
S S IA
Since gaining its independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991,
Russia has seen serious challenges in its efforts to forge a political system to follow nearly
seventy-five years of Soviet rule. For instance, leading figures in the legislative and
executive branches have put forth opposing views of Russia's political direction and the
governmental instruments that should be used to follow it. That conflict reached a climax
in September and October 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin used military force to dissolve
the parliament and called for new legislative elections. This event marked the end of
Russia's first constitutional period, which was defined by the much-amended constitution
adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1978.
A new constitution, creating a strong presidency, was approved by referendum in
December 1993.

With a new constitution and a new parliament representing diverse parties and factions,
Russia's political structure subsequently showed signs of stabilization. As the transition
period extended into the mid-1990s, the power of the national government continued to
wane as Russia's regions gained political and economic concessions from Moscow.
Although the struggle between executive and legislative branches was partially resolved
by the new constitution, the two branches continued to represent fundamentally opposing
visions of Russia's future. Most of the time, the executive was the center of reform, and
the lower house of the parliament, State Duma, was a bastion of anti-reform communists
and nationalists.
 is a President of Russia since 2012, previously holding the position from
2000 until 2008. On the March 2018 presidential vote, Putin was gained
76% vote and will re-elected for a six-year term that will end in 2024.

During his first presidency, the Russian economy grew for eight straight
years, and GDP measured in purchasing power increased by 72%. The
growth was a result of the 2000s commodities boom, recovery from the
post-Communist depression and financial crises, and prudent
economic and fiscal policies.

V la d im i Under Putin's leadership, Russia has scored poorly in Transparency

r International's Corruption Perceptions Index and experienced democratic
P u t in backsliding according to both the Economist Intelligence Unit's Democracy
Index and Freedom House's Freedom in the World index (including a
record low 20/100 rating in the 2017 Freedom in the World report, a
rating not given since the time of the Soviet Union).