Government of Russia (1991–present)

Government of Russia (1991–present)
Conventional long name	Russian Federation
Common name	Russia
Capital	Moscow
Government type	Federal semi-presidential republic
Established	1991

Government of Russia (1991–present) The post-1991 Government of Russia emerged from the collapse of the Soviet Union and the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics leadership, undergoing constitutional, institutional, and political transformations under leaders such as Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, and Dmitry Medvedev. The period saw interaction among figures and entities including the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union, the Supreme Soviet of Russia, the Russian Constitutional Court, the Federation Council, and external actors like the G7 and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Economic shocks associated with the 1998 Russian financial crisis, geopolitical crises such as the Second Chechen War, and legal milestones like the Constitution of Russia framed continuity and change in Russian state institutions.

Historical background and dissolution of the Soviet government

The late-1980s reforms initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev, including perestroika and glasnost, reshaped the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and precipitated events like the August Coup (1991), the rise of regional leaders such as Boris Yeltsin and the emergence of successor states including Ukraine, Belarus, and the Baltic states. The Belavezha Accords, negotiated among representatives of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, formally ended the USSR and led to the establishment of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Institutional dissolution involved the dismantling of the Council of Ministers of the USSR, disputes with the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, and the transfer of powers to newly created organs like the Presidency of Russia and the Cabinet of Ministers of Russia.

Constitutional framework and separation of powers

The 1993 Constitution of Russia created a semi-presidential system defining the roles of the President of Russia, the Government of Russia (1991–present)'s executive apparatus, and a bicameral legislature consisting of the State Duma and the Federation Council. The Constitution established the Constitutional Court of Russia for judicial review, delineated federal competencies among entities such as republics of Russia, oblasts of Russia, and krais of Russia, and set forth procedures for impeachment, emergency powers, and treaty ratification involving bodies like the Presidential Administration of Russia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia). Episodes such as the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis tested separation of powers claims between the White House and the presidential office.

Executive branch: Presidency and the Government (1991–present)

The presidential office, held by figures including Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev, and later returns to Vladimir Putin, commands appointments of the Prime Minister of Russia, chairs the Security Council of Russia, and directs agencies like the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Defence (Russia). The Government, led by successive prime ministers such as Yegor Gaidar, Viktor Chernomyrdin, Mikhail Kasyanov, and Dmitry Medvedev, administers federal ministries including the Ministry of Finance (Russia), Ministry of Health (Russia), and Ministry of Economic Development (Russia), implements policies shaped by actors like the Central Bank of Russia and state corporations such as Gazprom and Rosneft, and navigates crises like the 1998 Russian financial crisis and sanctions connected to the Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.

Legislative branch: Federal Assembly and regional representation

The bicameral Federal Assembly (Russia) comprises the lower house, the State Duma, and the upper house, the Federation Council (Russia), where regional executives and legislative leaders—representing entities including Tatarstan, Chechnya, and Sakha Republic—participate in federal lawmaking. Political parties such as United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, and A Just Russia have contested Duma elections overseen by the Central Election Commission of Russia, with landmark legislative acts including budget laws, federal constitutional laws, and debates over measures like the Foreign Agents Law and amendments to the Criminal Code of Russia.

Judicial system and constitutional supervision

The judicial architecture centers on the Constitutional Court of Russia, the Supreme Court of Russia, and specialized courts like the Arbitration courts of Russia, adjudicating disputes involving federal organs, regional authorities, and state enterprises. High-profile cases implicated institutions such as the Investigative Committee of Russia, the Prosecutor General's Office of Russia, and notable litigants including oligarchs connected to Yukos and public figures facing prosecution under statutes influenced by legal reforms in the 1990s and 2000s. The interaction of the judiciary with international bodies like the European Court of Human Rights shaped jurisprudence on human rights, extradition, and treaty obligations.

Federal structure and regional governance

Russia's federal composition comprises diverse entities—oblasts of Russia, republics of Russia, autonomous okrugs of Russia, and federal cities of Russia such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg—with powers negotiated via treaties, power-sharing accords exemplified by the Treaty of Federation, and administrative reforms under administrations of Vladimir Putin. Regional governors, once elected then often appointed through mechanisms involving the Presidential Administration of Russia and later reinstated elections, interact with regional legislatures, corporations like Sibur and Lukoil, and security organs in managing local affairs, energy pipelines, and interregional infrastructure projects such as the Power of Siberia pipeline.

Domestic policies and administrative reforms

Domestic policy initiatives addressed market reforms led by Yegor Gaidar and Anatoly Chubais, privatization involving entities like RAO UES, welfare policies, pension reforms, and state consolidation of strategic sectors via acquisitions by Gazprom and Rosneft. Administrative reforms sought to streamline federal districts established by decree, increase central oversight through appointed plenipotentiary envoys such as the Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Siberian Federal District, and enact anti-corruption measures linked to institutions including the Account Chamber of Russia and public campaigns driven by figures like Alexei Navalny.

Foreign policy, security apparatus, and international relations

Russian foreign policy has balanced relations with the United States, engagement in organizations such as the United Nations Security Council, and regional integration through initiatives like the Eurasian Economic Union and ties with China. Security posture involves agencies including the Federal Security Service and the Ministry of Defence (Russia), military operations in contexts such as the First Chechen War, Second Chechen War, and the 2014 Crimea intervention, and diplomatic tensions over events like the 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and sanctions regimes imposed by the European Union and the United States Department of the Treasury. Contemporary diplomacy engages multilateral forums such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, energy diplomacy through pipelines like Nord Stream, and bilateral summits with leaders from India, Turkey, and Brazil.

Category:Politics of Russia