First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia

First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia
duma.gov.ru · CC BY 4.0 · source
Title	First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia
Native name	Первый заместитель Председателя Правительства Российской Федерации
Insigniacaption	Emblem of the Government of Russia
Department	Government of Russia
Reports to	Prime Minister of Russia
Seat	Moscow
Nominator	President of Russia
Appointer	President of Russia
Formation	1991

First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia is a senior cabinet position within the executive branch of the Russian Federation. The office functions as the primary deputy to the Prime Minister of Russia and coordinates major segments of federal administration, economic policy, and crisis management. Holders frequently come from political parties, technocratic circles, or security services and often have prior service in ministries such as Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Economic Development (Russia), or Ministry of Defence (Russia).

Role and responsibilities

The First Deputy coordinates policy across ministries including Ministry of Industry and Trade (Russia), Ministry of Energy (Russia), and Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation, liaising with federal agencies such as the Federal Taxation Service (Russia), Federal Security Service, and Federal Customs Service. Responsibilities include implementing programs adopted by the State Duma and the Federation Council (Russia), supervising federal projects linked to the Russian economy, and representing the cabinet in intergovernmental forums alongside the President of Russia and the National Security Council (Russia). In emergencies the First Deputy may act as coordinator for responses involving the Ministry of Emergency Situations (Russia), regional governors such as those from Moscow Oblast, Saint Petersburg, or Sverdlovsk Oblast, and federal corporations including Rosneft, Gazprom, and Rostec.

History and development

The post evolved from Soviet and early post-Soviet precedents including roles in the Council of Ministers of the USSR and the Russian Council of Ministers (1991–1992). After the 1993 constitutional reforms that established the current Constitution of Russia (1993), the office was formalized within the cabinet structure. During the 1990s, figures linked to the Russian privatization era and the First Chechen War influenced the office’s remit; in the 2000s, the role shifted toward coordination of national projects promoted by Vladimir Putin and the United Russia parliamentary majority. The 2010s and 2020s saw incumbents with backgrounds in finance, industry, and the security sector responding to events such as the 2008 financial crisis, annexation of Crimea (2014), and sanctions regimes introduced by the European Union and the United States.

Appointment and term

The First Deputy is nominated by the President of Russia and appointed by presidential decree upon recommendation of the Prime Minister of Russia. The position has no fixed term independent of the cabinet: tenure typically coincides with the incumbent Prime Minister’s government or with presidential reshuffles effected by the Presidential Administration of Russia. Dismissal follows presidential decree or collective cabinet resignation, and the role is regulated by federal statutes governing the Government of Russia and executive orders issued by the President of Russia and the Prime Minister of Russia.

Notable officeholders

Prominent holders include political and technocratic figures from different eras: officeholders with ties to Boris Yeltsin administrations and to the Second Chechen War, those aligned with Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, and ministers formerly associated with Yegor Gaidar-style reforms or with state corporations like Gazprombank and Sberbank. Some First Deputies later advanced to roles such as Prime Minister of Russia, President of Russia aides, or heads of international delegations to the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Others transitioned to leadership in regional administrations such as Tatarstan or Krasnodar Krai or to corporate presidencies at Rosatom and Russian Railways.

Relationship with the Prime Minister and government

The First Deputy acts as the principal subordinate to the Prime Minister of Russia, assuming delegated authority for cabinet sessions, coordinating interministerial commissions, and representing the cabinet in dealings with the State Duma and presidential offices. This relationship varies with personalities and political alignments: strong alignment with the President of Russia can result in the First Deputy effectively steering policy, while in other configurations the Prime Minister retains central control. The office interfaces with party leaders from United Russia, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, and A Just Russia when negotiating legislative agendas.

Deputy Prime Ministers and succession

The cabinet typically includes multiple Deputy Prime Minister of Russia posts with portfolios for sectors such as transportation, energy policy, and digital development. Succession protocols are informal: in cases of Prime Ministerial absence, the First Deputy may chair cabinet meetings and coordinate an acting leadership until formal appointment by the President of Russia. Contingency arrangements interact with constitutional mechanisms involving the State Duma and presidential powers outlined in the Constitution of Russia (1993).

Office and administration

The First Deputy’s staff is based in the Russian cabinet headquarters in Moscow and coordinates closely with ministries housed in government complexes near Arbat and Kremlin institutions. Administrative support comes from units within the Government Apparatus of the Russian Federation, policy secretariats, and advisory councils comprising experts from institutions such as Higher School of Economics, Moscow State University, and research institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The office maintains liaison with international bodies when authorized, including delegations to the G20, Eurasian Economic Union, and bilateral talks with counterparts from China, Germany, and United States.

Category:Government of Russia Category:Political office-holders in Russia