The current Constitution of the Russian Federation (Russian: Конституция Российской
Федерации, Konstitutsiya Rossiyskoy Federatsii; pronounced [kənsʲtʲɪˈtutsɨjə
rɐˈsʲijskəj fʲɪdʲɪˈratsɨɪ]) was adopted by national referendum on December
12, 1993. Russia's constitution came into force on December 25, 1993, at the moment
of its official publication, and abolished the Soviet system of government. The current
Constitution is the second most long-lived in the history of Russia, behind the Constitution
of 1936. The 1993 Constitutional Conference was attended
by over 800 participants. Sergei Alexeyev, Sergey Shakhray, and sometimes Anatoly Sobchak
are considered as co-authors of the constitution. The text of the constitution was inspired
by Mikhail Speransky's constitutional project and current French constitution.A constitutional
referendum was held in Russia on 12 December 1993. Of all registered voters, 58,187,755
people (or 54.8%) participated in the referendum. Of those, 32,937,630 (54.5%) voted for adoption
of the Constitution. It replaced the previous Soviet-era Constitution of April 12, 1978
of Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (which had already been amended in April 1992
to reflect the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the sovereignty of the Russian Federation),
following the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis.
== History ==
=== Constitution of Russia after USSR ===
== Structure == The constitution is divided into two sections.
=== Section One === Fundamentals of the Constitutional System
Rights and Liberties of Man and Citizen Federative system
President of the Russian Federation Federal Assembly
Government of the Russian Federation Judiciary
Local Self-Government Constitutional Amendments and Revisions
=== Section Two ===
Concluding and Transitional Provisions
== Provisions ==
Especially on human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Constitution provides for human
rights and freedom of citizen according to the universally recognised principles and
norm of international law as well as the Constitution and affirms that the listing in the Constitution
of the Russian Federation of the fundamental rights and freedom shall not be interpreted
as a rejection and derogation of other universally recognised human rights and freedom.
=== Presidency ===
The Constitution of the Russian Federation specifies that the President is the Russian
head of state, setting domestic and foreign policy and representing Russian both within
the country and internationally [Article 80]. While the original constitution stipulated
a four-year term and a maximum of two terms in succession, the current constitution decrees
a six-year term. The four-year term was in effect while Vladimir Putin served his first
and second terms; with the two-term limit he was barred from the presidency in 2008.
Instead, he served as Prime Minister while Dmitry Medvedev served as president for four
years. Putin was re-elected to his third term in 2012; with the six-year term, he was elected
to his fourth term in 2018. Article 81 specifies the method of election, including a secret
ballot; Articles 82 - 93 detail powers, responsibilities, and limitations of the presidency. The constitution
provides for a 'strong presidency'; not only is the president the "Supreme Commander-in-Chief
of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation", the president also has the power to dissolve
the State Duma.
=== Executive branch ===
=== Legislative branch ===
=== Judiciary === While the Russian Federation Constitution
enumerates a strong and independent judicial branch, the reality is a question of debate.
The constitution provides for judicial immunity, lifetime appointments/"irremovable" justices,
and the supremacy of the courts to administer justice, and affirms that judges need only
submit to the constitution and the federal law. Additionally, Article 123 provides for
open and fair trials, as well as equal application of the law. Three courts are delineated: Constitution
Court of the Russian Federation, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, the Higher
Arbitration Court, each "Appointed by the Council of the Federation upon the proposals
by the President". The Constitution requires 19 judges for the Constitution Court, but
does not specify the number of justices for the other courts. As of 2002, the Supreme
Court has 115 members; due to expansion of duties in 2014 the number of seats was increased
to 170. In September of 2014, the Institute of Modern Russia reported that the Russian
Federation's Supreme Arbitration Court had been dissolved, and judicial matters previously
under its authority had been transferred to the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.
Despite the ideals written into the constitution, most citizens do not feel that they will receive
justice; additionally, human rights violations occur regularly.
=== Local government ===
== See also ==
Institute of State and Law Law of the Russian Federation
Constitution of the Soviet Union 2008 Amendments to the Constitution of Russia
Impeachment in Russia Constitutional economics
Constitutionalism
== Notes