Presidents of Russia

Presidents of Russia
Public domain · source
Post	President
Body	the, Russian Federation
Native name	Президент Российской Федерации
Insigniasize	150
Insigniacaption	Presidential Standard
Incumbent	Vladimir Putin
Incumbentsince	7 May 2012
Department	Executive branch of the Government of Russia
Style	Mr. President, (informal), His Excellency, (diplomatic)
Residence	Moscow Kremlin, Novo-Ogaryovo
Seat	Moscow
Appointer	Direct election
Termlength	Six years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Russia
Inaugural	Boris Yeltsin
Formation	24 April 1991
Salary	~₽9.6 million annually

Presidents of Russia have served as the head of state of the Russian Federation since the office's establishment in 1991, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The presidency is the supreme executive authority, wielding significant power over the Government of Russia, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and foreign policy. The office has been held by three individuals: Boris Yeltsin, Dmitry Medvedev, and the long-serving Vladimir Putin, whose tenure has profoundly shaped the nation's modern political landscape.

History of the presidency

The office was created in 1991 during the final year of the Soviet Union, with Boris Yeltsin elected as the first holder in the 1991 Russian presidential election. The early 1990s were marked by the Constitutional crisis of 1993, a power struggle between Yeltsin and the Supreme Soviet of Russia that culminated in the shelling of the Russian White House and the adoption of a new Constitution of Russia in December 1993, which greatly expanded presidential powers. The subsequent presidencies of Vladimir Putin, who first succeeded Yeltsin in 2000, oversaw periods of centralization, the Second Chechen War, and increasing tensions with the United States and NATO. The 2008 Russian presidential election saw Dmitry Medvedev assume the role while Putin served as Prime Minister, a arrangement often termed the Tandemocracy, before Putin's return to the presidency in 2012 following contested elections and major protests.

List of presidents

The first president was Boris Yeltsin, who served from 1991 until his resignation on 31 December 1999, a period encompassing the 1998 financial crisis and the First Chechen War. He was succeeded by Vladimir Putin, who served two consecutive terms until 2008. Dmitry Medvedev then served a single term from 2008 to 2012, during which the Russo-Georgian War occurred and the Constitution of Russia was amended to extend the presidential term to six years. Vladimir Putin returned to office in 2012 and has been re-elected since, including in the 2018 Russian presidential election and the 2024 Russian presidential election, with his tenure defined by events such as the annexation of Crimea, military intervention in the Syrian civil war, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Election process

The president is elected by direct popular vote for a six-year term, as stipulated in the Constitution of Russia and detailed in federal law. Candidates must be at least 35 years old, a permanent resident of Russia for at least 25 years, and cannot have held foreign citizenship. The Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation administers the elections, which are conducted under a two-round system; if no candidate secures an absolute majority in the first round, a runoff is held between the top two contenders. The process has been subject to scrutiny by organizations like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which have cited issues including media bias and limitations on opposition candidates.

Powers and duties

The president holds extensive authority as defined in Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Russia. The president appoints the Prime Minister of Russia (with consent of the State Duma) and other federal ministers, chairs meetings of the Government of Russia, and can issue binding decrees and executive orders. As the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Armed Forces, the president has sole authority over the deployment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and controls the nation's nuclear forces. Other key powers include directing foreign policy, signing international treaties like the New START accord, granting pardons, and submitting legislation to the Federal Assembly of Russia.

Residences and symbols

The primary working residence is within the Moscow Kremlin, a historic fortress that also houses the Presidential Administration of Russia. The official state residence is Novo-Ogaryovo in the Moscow Oblast, used for hosting foreign dignitaries and diplomatic meetings. Other key residences include Rus in Zavidovo and the Bocharov Ruchey in Sochi on the Black Sea coast. The principal symbols of the office are the Presidential Standard of Russia, a square version of the national tricolor bearing the state coat of arms, and the distinctive Emblem of the President of the Russian Federation, a golden cross. The inauguration ceremony traditionally takes place in the Grand Kremlin Palace within the Moscow Kremlin.

Category:Presidents of Russia Category:Heads of state of Russia Category:Government of Russia