1993 Russian legislative election

1993 Russian legislative election
Country	Russian Federation
Type	legislative
Previous election	1990 Russian Supreme Soviet election
Previous year	1990
Next election	1995 Russian legislative election
Next year	1995
Seats for election	All 450 seats in the State Duma
Majority seats	226
Election date	12 December 1993
Turnout	54.8%
Leader1	Vladimir Zhirinovsky
Party1	Liberal Democratic Party of Russia
Seats1	64
Popular vote1	12,318,562
Percentage1	22.92%
Leader2	Grigory Yavlinsky
Party2	Yabloko
Seats2	27
Popular vote2	4,223,219
Percentage2	7.86%
Leader3	Viktor Chernomyrdin
Party3	Russia's Choice
Seats3	96
Popular vote3	8,339,345
Percentage3	15.51%
Image4	80px
Leader4	Gennady Zyuganov
Party4	Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Seats4	48
Popular vote4	6,666,402
Percentage4	12.40%
Title	Chairman of the Government
Before election	Viktor Chernomyrdin
Before party	Independent
After election	Viktor Chernomyrdin
After party	Independent

1993 Russian legislative election The election for the inaugural State Duma was a pivotal event following the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis. Held concurrently with a national referendum on a new constitution, the vote was marked by political turmoil and the rise of new parties. The results produced a fragmented legislature, significantly shaping the political landscape of the Russian Federation in the post-Soviet era.

Background and context

The election was a direct consequence of the violent constitutional crisis in October 1993, where President Boris Yeltsin dissolved the opposition-led Supreme Soviet. This clash culminated in the shelling of the White House and solidified Yeltsin's push for a new political system. The election was designed to replace the old Congress of People's Deputies with a new bicameral Federal Assembly, as outlined in the draft constitution. The political climate was highly charged, with the shadow of the Moscow uprising and the banning of parties like the National Salvation Front influencing the campaign period.

Electoral system

The election employed a mixed-member proportional system to elect the 450 members of the State Duma. Half of the seats (225) were elected from single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post rules. The other half were allocated by party-list proportional representation from a single nationwide district, with a threshold set at five percent of the vote. This system was established by presidential decree and detailed in the "Regulations on the Election of Deputies to the State Duma," a temporary measure preceding the adoption of the new Russian Constitution.

Parties and candidates

The party-list ballot featured 13 electoral associations, with the main pro-reform bloc being Yegor Gaidar's Russia's Choice, which enjoyed support from President Boris Yeltsin. The primary opposition came from the revived Communist Party under Gennady Zyuganov and the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia led by Vladimir Zhirinovsky. Other significant contenders included the centrist Party of Russian Unity and Accord of Sergei Shakhrai and the social-democratic Yabloko bloc co-led by Grigory Yavlinsky and Yuri Boldyrev. Numerous independents competed in the single-member districts, including many former deputies from the dissolved Supreme Soviet.

Campaign

The campaign was brief, chaotic, and dominated by state-controlled media, which heavily favored the pro-government Russia's Choice. Key issues included the pace of economic reforms, known as "shock therapy," and the preservation of national integrity following the dissolution of the USSR. Vladimir Zhirinovsky gained significant attention through provocative rhetoric on state television, while communist and nationalist forces criticized the Belavezha Accords and the policies of the Yeltsin administration. The concurrent referendum on the constitution framed the election as a plebiscite on Yeltsin's rule.

Results

The results delivered a major shock, as the ultra-nationalist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia won the largest share of the party-list vote with nearly 23%, followed by Russia's Choice with 15.5%. The Communist Party of the Russian Federation placed third with 12.4%. In the single-member districts, however, Russia's Choice and independent candidates won the most seats. Ultimately, no party secured a majority; the State Duma was fragmented among multiple factions, with a strong presence for opposition parties from both the left and right. Voter turnout was 54.8%, and the new constitution was approved in the parallel referendum.

Aftermath and impact

The election produced a hostile and unmanageable State Duma for President Boris Yeltsin and Chairman of the Government Viktor Chernomyrdin, leading to years of legislative-executive conflict. The success of Vladimir Zhirinovsky sent shockwaves through international capitals, including Washington and Berlin. The first Duma sessions were marked by intense debates over amnesty for the 1991 August Coup and 1993 crisis participants, which was eventually passed. The legislature became a platform for opposition figures like Gennady Zyuganov and Vladimir Zhirinovsky, shaping the political dynamics that led to the 1996 presidential election and influencing the development of the party system in Russia.

Category:1993 elections in Russia Category:State Duma elections