State Duma
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| State Duma | |
|---|---|
 Государственная Дума РФ · Public domain · source | |
| Name | State Duma |
| Native name | Государственная Дума |
| Legislature | Federal Assembly of Russia |
| House type | Lower house |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Preceding | Imperial Duma |
| Leader1 type | Chairman |
| Leader1 | Vyacheslav Volodin |
| Party1 | United Russia |
| Members | 450 |
| Term length | 5 years |
| Voting system | Mixed-member proportional / Party-list |
| Last election | 2021 Russian legislative election |
| Meeting place | State Duma building, Moscow |
State Duma is the lower chamber of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, established by the 1993 Constitution after the 1993 constitutional crisis. It operates alongside the upper chamber, the Federation Council, and serves as a primary organ for drafting federal legislation, approving governments, and ratifying international treaties. Its membership, electoral mechanisms, and party dynamics have been shaped by events such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, the 1993 constitutional crisis, and subsequent federal reforms.
History
The institution traces antecedents to the Imperial Duma of the early 20th century and to Soviet-era bodies like the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR. The 1993 constitutional crisis between Boris Yeltsin and the parliament resulted in the dissolution of the existing legislature and the promulgation of the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation, which created the bicameral Federal Assembly composed of the Federation Council and the lower chamber inaugurated as the subject here. Key milestones include the 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2016, and 2021 legislative elections, the rise of parties such as United Russia, Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, and A Just Russia, and episodes like the 2011–2013 protests after the 2011 election and the 2014 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation which influenced legislative agendas. The post-2000 era under Vladimir Putin saw centralization trends, legal reforms, and changes in electoral law that reshaped party representation and parliamentary procedure.
Structure and Composition
The chamber comprises 450 deputies serving five-year terms. Deputies originate from party lists and single-member constituencies, with party-grouped factions such as United Russia and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation forming formal parliamentary groups. Leadership includes the Chairman of the chamber, multiple deputy chairmen, committee chairs, and a Bureau; notable chairmen across post-Soviet history include Boris Gryzlov and Sergey Naryshkin. Committees and commissions—covering areas reflected by ministries like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Russia), Ministry of Finance (Russia), and agencies such as the Central Bank of Russia—handle bill review, hearings, and oversight. The chamber convenes in the State Duma building on Okhotny Ryad in Moscow and interacts institutionally with the President of Russia, the Government of Russia, the Constitutional Court of Russia, and regional legislatures like those of Moscow Oblast and Tatarstan.
Powers and Functions
Constitutionally enumerated powers include initiating and passing federal laws, approving the Prime Minister nominated by the President of Russia, consenting to declarations of war and international treaties, and calling for hearings on federal budgets involving the Ministry of Finance (Russia). The chamber can form special commissions, summon officials from bodies such as the Federal Security Service and the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation for questioning, and propose amendments to federal statutes. It participates in ratification processes for international agreements with states like Ukraine (noting contested actions since 2014) and organizations such as the United Nations. The chamber may also set investigative inquiries into events like the 1993 crisis and policy areas related to energy firms such as Gazprom and Rosneft.
Legislative Process
Bills may be introduced by deputies, factions, the President of Russia, the Federation Council, regional legislatures, or the Government of Russia. Committee referral precedes three readings in plenary where amendments and votes occur; approved bills are transmitted to the Federation Council and, if conflicting, may be reviewed by a conciliation commission. The President of Russia possesses veto power subject to override by a two-thirds majority, and the Constitutional Court of Russia can review constitutionality. High-profile legislative campaigns have concerned laws on election codes, media regulation involving entities like RT (TV network) and Channel One Russia, and sanctions-related measures responding to actions by bodies such as the European Union and the United States Department of the Treasury.
Elections and Electoral System
Electoral systems have alternated between mixed-member systems and full proportional representation. Since 2016, the chamber uses a mixed system combining single-member districts and party-list proportional representation, whereas the 2007–2011 period used purely party-list voting. Elections occur at federal intervals—recently in 2016 and 2021—with major electoral commissions and regulators like the Central Election Commission (Russia). Campaigns feature parties such as Yabloko, New People, Rodina (political party), and movements tied to figures like Alexei Navalny (whose organizations faced legal and registration obstacles). International observers from organizations like the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe have monitored various cycles.
Political Parties and Factions
Factions in the chamber reflect national party politics: dominant United Russia alongside opposition groups including the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia led historically by Vladimir Zhirinovsky, and A Just Russia. Newer entrants like New People and parties such as Civic Platform and Patriots of Russia have been represented at times. Inter-factional coalitions coordinate on agendas involving ministries and state corporations such as Rostec and Rosatom. Individual deputies have formed splinter groups or defected, as seen with figures who left or joined factions during periods of political realignment.
Criticisms and Controversies
Critiques include allegations of limited pluralism, electoral irregularities documented by domestic activists and international organizations, restrictions on parties and candidates including those associated with Alexei Navalny and Ilya Yashin, and legislation constraining media and civil society involving outlets like Novaya Gazeta and organizations such as Memorial. Accusations of executive dominance, party-list manipulation, and use of legislative majorities to approve contested measures—such as laws related to foreign agent designations and internet regulation linked to Roskomnadzor—have prompted domestic protests and international sanctions targeting deputies and officials. High-profile controversies have surrounded votes on recognition of contested territories, budgetary allocations to state corporations, and amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation that altered presidential term rules.