Russian Federation
or Russia
Country in N Asia and E Europe, bounded N by the Arctic Ocean;
E by the Bering Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk; W by Norway, Finland,
the Baltic States, Belarus, and Ukraine; and S by China, Mongolia,
Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.
Government
The 1993 constitution is modelled on that of France, increasing presidential
authority at the expense of the legislature and enhancing the
centre's authority over Russia's 21 republics and 68 regions.
The president, who is directly elected for a maximum of two five-year
terms, serves as head of state and the armed forces and nominates
the prime minister and council of ministers (cabinet). There is
a two-tier legislature, the Federal Assembly, comprising the Council
of the Federation (upper house), with 178 members (two from each
of the regions and republics), and the State Duma (lower house),
with 225 seats elected by proportional representation (parties
must receive at least 5% of the total votes cast to secure any
representation) and 225 seats elected by simple-majority voting
in single-member constituencies. The president has the authority
to dismiss the prime minister and may issue decrees and veto laws,
although the veto may be overturned by two-thirds majorities in
both houses. The president also appoints and heads a Security
Council and proposes the chair of the Central Bank, the Prosecutor
General, and key members of the judiciary. Since 1994 the interior,
defence, and foreign affairs ministries have been directly subordinate
to the president.
The powers of the Federal Assembly are relatively weak vis-à-vis
those of the president. It may not consider presidential decrees
and while it may oust a government through a vote of confidence,
it must do so twice within three months before the president is
forced to take action. The president may then either form a new
government or dissolve the Assembly and call fresh elections.
The Federal Assembly may, however, impeach the president if both
chambers vote in favour and there is agreement from both the Supreme
Court and the Constitutional Court. The State Duma has the right
to reject two presidential nominees for the post of prime minister
(it can be dissolved by the president if it rejects a third).
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