Moscow City Duma

Moscow City Duma
Name	Moscow City Duma
Native name	Московская городская Дума
House type	Unicameral
Foundation	1993
Leader1 type	Chairman
Leader1	Aleksey Shaposhnikov
Election1	2019
Members	45
Political groups1	Government (40), United Russia (40), Opposition (5), Communist Party of the Russian Federation (3), A Just Russia — For Truth (2)
Last election1	2019
Next election1	2024
Meeting place	22/2 Petrovka Street, Moscow
Website	duma.mos.ru

Moscow City Duma is the regional parliament of the federal city of Moscow, functioning as its highest and only legislative body. Established in the wake of the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, it succeeded the Moscow Soviet and operates under the Constitution of Russia and the Charter of Moscow. The body is responsible for enacting city laws, approving the budget of Moscow, and overseeing the work of the Mayor of Moscow and the Moscow Government.

History

The institution traces its origins to the post-Soviet reforms following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It was formally established by the 1993 Constitution of Russia, replacing the Moscow Soviet which had governed during the Soviet era. The first convocation was elected in the 1993 Russian regional elections amidst the political turbulence after the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis. Key historical legislative acts include the adoption of the Charter of Moscow and numerous laws shaping the city's development through periods of rapid change, including the 1998 Russian financial crisis and preparations for major events like the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Its history reflects the broader political consolidation under Vladimir Putin and United Russia.

Structure and composition

The legislature is a unicameral body composed of 45 deputies elected for five-year terms. Its work is organized through a presiding Chairman, currently Aleksey Shaposhnikov, and a system of permanent committees. The internal structure includes the Council of the Moscow City Duma, which sets the agenda, and various committees focusing on areas such as urban planning, budgetary policy, and social policy. The composition has been dominated by the United Russia party since the mid-2000s, with smaller representations from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and A Just Russia — For Truth.

Powers and responsibilities

Its constitutional powers include the passage of the Charter of Moscow and amendments to it, the enactment of city laws on subjects within the jurisdiction of federal subjects of Russia, and the approval of the city's budget proposed by the Mayor of Moscow. It exercises oversight over the Moscow Government, including the confirmation of the appointment of the Prosecutor of Moscow and hearing annual reports from the Mayor of Moscow. It also establishes city taxes within limits set by the Tax Code of Russia and ratifies key international agreements and treaties affecting the city's interests.

Elections

Deputies are elected through a parallel voting system, with 22 seats filled by party-list proportional representation from a single city-wide district and 23 seats filled by first-past-the-post voting in single-member districts. The electoral process is governed by the Central Election Commission of Russia and the Moscow City Election Commission. Notable elections include the 2014 Moscow City Duma election and the 2019 Moscow City Duma election, the latter marked by significant protests following the exclusion of several opposition candidates. The next scheduled election is for 2024.

Leadership and committees

The presiding officer is the Chairman of the Moscow City Duma, a position held by Vladimir Platonov for two decades until 2014, and since 2019 by Aleksey Shaposhnikov. Leadership also includes deputy chairmen. The work is carried out through permanent committees such as the Committee on Budget and Finance, the Committee on State Governance and Local Self-Government, and the Committee on Healthcare and Public Health. These committees review draft legislation, conduct parliamentary hearings, and interact with executive bodies like the Moscow Government and departments such as the Moscow Department of Transport.

Notable members

Prominent individuals who have served include long-time Chairman Vladimir Platonov, former Mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov who served in an earlier convocation, and current chairman Aleksey Shaposhnikov. Other notable figures include opposition politician Ilya Yashin, who served from 2017 to 2022, and Lyudmila Stebenkova, a long-serving deputy focused on social policy. Members have often moved to high federal offices, such as Sergei Sobyanin, who served as a deputy before becoming Mayor of Moscow, and Valery Fadeev, who later headed the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights.

Category:Government of Moscow Category:Regional parliaments of Russia Category:1993 establishments in Russia