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Comparative Politics and Government

Notes jurisdiction of the governments of the Centre as well as of the constituent units. The Government
of the Russian Federation shall ensure the implementation of a uniform State policy in the
spheres of culture, science, health, social security and ecology. It shows that this Constitution
has paid heed to the new norms of internationalism in the direction of safeguarding the
environment for the health and life of the people and thus contributed to the development of
international environmental law.
6. Federal System: The Constitution establishes a federal system by dividing powers between
the federal government and the constituent units which number 89 in all. The exclusive
powers of the Centre have been spelt out which include adoption and amendment of the
Constitution and of federal laws, securing compliance of the Constitutions (charters and
laws) of the constituent units with the Russian Constitution and federal laws, making foreign
policy and conducting foreign relations, defence and security of the country, currency and
money emission system, federal public services etc. It spells out concurrent powers of the
Centre as well as of the constituent units as protection of human rights and civil freedoms,
demarcation of State property, use of natural resources, safeguarding the environment,
coordination of international and foreign economic relations etc. All other powers have been
left to the constituent units. The Constitutional Court of the Federation has been given the
power to interpret the terms of the Constitution and to settle legal disputes between the
Centre and the constituent units or between the units themselves. The Russian Constitution
has been declared the supreme law of the land.
7. Quasi-Presidential Government: The Russian Constitution has followed the pattern of the
French Constitution by placing the head of the State (President) in a stronger position than
that of the Government headed by the Prime Minister. The President proposes the name of
the Chairman of the Government of the Federation (Prime Minister) that must be approved by
the State Duma. In case the proposals of the President in this regard are rejected thrice, he
shall dissolve the State Duma and then appoint a Prime Minister of his choice. He appoints
Deputy Chairmen and other ministers of the Government on the advice of the Prime Minister.
The ministry is responsible to the State Duma. This arrangement of ministerial responsibility
resembles the parliamentary system of Britain, but the position of the President is not like that
of a constitutional head who, like the British monarch, can do no wrong. The President has
the power to accept, or not, the resignation of the Prime Minister and his ministers even after
a motion of no-confidence is passed by the State Duma. Moverover, he can dissolve the State
Duma in case it passes another motion of no-confidence against the Government within next
three months. It shows that the responsibility of the Government to the State Duma is just a
formality. The President presides over the sessions of the Government and, as such, his voice
has its weight in the taking of decisions. He may dismiss the Prime Minister. He may remove
the Deputy Prime Minister or any minister on the advice of the Prime Minister. It is clear that
the Prime Minister has to act according to the wishes of the President, if he desires to live in
office.
8. Bi-Cameralism: The Constitution has adopted the system of bicameralism by creating the
Federation Council and the State Duma as the two chambers of the federal legislature. The old
practice has been followed by not designating the two as the upper and the lower chambers
as we find in other countries. However, the old tradition of declaring the national legislature
as ‘the highest body of the state’ has been broken down. The State Duma looks like a lower
chamber, as its 450 members are directly elected by the voters of the country. It approves the
proposal of the President of the Federation relating to the appointment of the Chairman of the
Government (Prime Minister) and may remove the Government by passing the motion of no-
confidence. The Federation Council has 178 members as two representatives come from each
constituent unit. In all other respects its powers are equal to those of the State Duma.
9. Independence of Judiciary: The Constitution has elaborate arrangements for the independence
of judiciary. The work of administration of justice has been entrusted to the courts. It is
required that the judges have higher education in law and must have been in the legal profession
for not less than 5 years. Their appointments are made for a fixed duration. They are inviolable

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