State Duma

State Duma. It is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia, the national legislature of the Russian Federation. Its members are directly elected by Russian citizens to represent their interests in the federal lawmaking process. The body convenes in its historic building in central Moscow, near Manege Square and the Moscow Kremlin.

History

The name originates from the State Duma (Russian Empire), an advisory and legislative body established after the 1905 Russian Revolution by Tsar Nicholas II. The first modern State Duma was formed following the adoption of the 1993 Constitution of Russia, which was ratified after a violent confrontation between President Boris Yeltsin and the Supreme Soviet of Russia. This new bicameral parliament replaced the former Congress of People's Deputies of Russia. Key historical convocations include the first Duma elected in 1993, which saw significant opposition from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, and the transition to a fully party-list system under President Vladimir Putin after the 2007 Russian legislative election.

Composition and election

The State Duma is composed of 450 deputies, known as deputies, who serve for a term of five years. Elections are governed by the Central Election Commission of Russia. Since the 2016 Russian legislative election, a mixed electoral system has been used: 225 deputies are elected by Party-list proportional representation from a single nationwide constituency, while the other 225 are elected from single-member districts by first-past-the-post. To gain representation, a party must surpass a 5% threshold in the proportional part. The most recent election was the 2021 Russian legislative election, which was overseen by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.

Powers and functions

Its primary constitutional power is the adoption of federal constitutional laws and federal laws. The Duma must approve the candidate for the Chairman of the Government of Russia (Prime Minister) nominated by the President of Russia, and it can express a vote of no confidence in the Government of Russia. It also plays a key role in the federal budget process by reviewing and approving the draft budget submitted by the Ministry of Finance (Russia). Other significant functions include appointing and dismissing the Chairman of the Central Bank of Russia and the Commissioner for Human Rights (Russia), as well as ratifying international treaties like the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty.

Leadership and structure

The presiding officer is the Chairman of the State Duma, a position held since 2016 by Vyacheslav Volodin of the United Russia party. The Chairman is elected by the deputies and oversees the chamber's operations. The work is organized through a system of committees and commissions, such as the Committee on International Affairs and the Committee on Budget and Taxes. The internal governing body is the Council of the State Duma, which sets the legislative agenda. Daily sessions are held in the main building located at Okhotny Ryad.

Political parties and factions

Political representation is organized into formal factions, which must have at least 35 deputies. The dominant faction is the pro-presidential United Russia, which has held a constitutional majority since the 2003 Russian legislative election. The primary opposition factions are the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, and A Just Russia — For Truth. Smaller factions include New People. Parties like Yabloko and the People's Freedom Party have failed to clear the electoral threshold in recent elections. The allocation of committee chairmanships is traditionally negotiated among the factions.