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RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Soviet Federatsii (Council of the Federation)

Modules:
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly
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Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
Affiliation to the IPU Yes
Affiliation date(s) 1897 - 1914
1955 -
LEADERSHIP
President Valentina Matvienko (F) 
Notes Elected on 21 Sep. 2011.
Secretary General Sergey Martynov (M) 
COMPOSITION
Members (statutory / current number) 170 / 170
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN


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Women (current number) 29 (17.06%)
Mode of designation appointed 170
Notes Regional representatives appointed by legislative bodies of constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

The President may appoint up to 10 per cent (currently 17) of the members to the Council of the Federation. However, no President has ever appointed any members.
Term  Individual members' term varies according to the republic/region they represent
Last renewal dates not applicable
(View details)
CONTACT INFORMATION
Address Council of the Federation
Bolshaya Dmitrovka, 26
MOSCOW
(Export mailing lists)
Phone (7495) 692 59 69
Fax (7495) 692 59 67
692 58 96
E-mail ums@senat.gov.ru
Website
http://www.council.gov.ru/

ELECTORAL SYSTEM

Parliament name (generic / translated) Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Electoral law 1 October 1993
Last amendment: 05/12/1995
Mode of designation appointed 170
Constituencies 89 multi-member (2 seats) constituencies corresponding to the constituent members (federal territorial units) of the Russian Federation. In each, two members are appointed by the legislature and executive of the republic or region concerned.
Voting system : (not applicable)
Voter requirements (not applicable)
CANDIDATES
Eligibility (not applicable)
Incompatibilities (not applicable)
Candidacy requirements (not applicable)

LAST ELECTIONS

Parliament name (generic / translated) Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) not applicable
Timing and scope of renewal (not applicable)
(not applicable)
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes



Notes (not applicable)
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political group Candidates Votes % of votes
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total of seats
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men

Women

Percent of women
150

13

7.98%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Source: Council of the Federation (01.01.2008, 11.12.2012, 01.01.2015, 07.11.2016)

PRESIDENCY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY CHAMBER

Parliament name (generic / translated) Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE
Title Chairperson of the Council of the Federation
Term - duration of the term is not defined by current Russian Federation legislation
- the normal expiry date is the beginning of work of the newly elected Council of the Federation
- reasons for interruption of the term: resignation, loss of Russian citizenship, demand of removal by a committee or a commission, court decision, death, dissolution of the Parliament
Appointment - elected by the Deputies of the Council of the Federation
- after Members' mandates are validated by the Mandate Committe

Eligibility - any Deputy may be candidate
Voting system - formal vote by secret ballot
- vote is conducted in one or two rounds, with the possibility of repeating the procedure
- majority (more than half of the total number of Deputies) is required in the first round, if none of the candidates obtains it, a second round of voting is held between the 2 candidatures receiving the highest number of vote
- new candidatures may be proposed, and certain candidatures must be withdrawn in light of the results of the previous vote
Procedures / results - the oldest Member presides over the Council during the voting
- the Committee of tellers announces the results without any delay
- the results can be challenged, but only if mistakes are detected in the procedure and technique of voting, a new vote may be held if the Chamber so decides
STATUS
Status - represents the Council with the public authorities
- represents the Council in international bodies
- in the absence of the Chairman, one of the 3 Deputy Chairmen can assume his/her role and functions

Board
Material facilities - same salary as the Prime Minister
- special communications facilities
- household and medical service
- body guards
FUNCTIONS
Organization of parliamentary business - convenes only special sessions
- establishes only the draft agenda
- may only set the total time for discussion of an agenda item, for questions and answers
- refers texts to a committee for study
Chairing of public sittings - can open, adjourn and close sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- puts all proposals from Deputies to a vote in the order in which they are received, organizes ballots and counting of votes, and announces the results of ballots
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
Special powers - appoints and dismisses the Chief of Staff of the Council of the Federation, issues orders for the appointment and dismissal of officials, in accordance with the Regulations of the Council of the Federation
Speaking and voting rights, other functions - takes the floor in legislative debates, but in leaving his/her chair
- takes part in voting
- proposes bills or amendment
- issues orders to send Council of the Federation decisions approving a law adopted by the State Duma and the text of the law to the President of the Russian Federation for signature and promulgation

PARLIAMENTARY MANDATE

Parliament name (generic / translated) Federalnoye Sobraniye / Federal Assembly
Structure of parliament Bicameral
Chamber name (generic / translated) Soviet Federatsii / Council of the Federation
Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) Gossoudarstvennaya Duma / State Duma
NATURE
Nature of the mandate · Free representation (Linked representation - imperative mandate)
Start of the mandate · When the mandates are validated
Validation of mandates · Validation by the Council of the Federation
· Procedure
End of the mandate · On the day when the powers of a Member as head of the representative/executive body of the State authority he represents ends in accordance with federal laws and the laws established by the State authority of a subject of the Russian Federation (the Council of the Federation cannot be dissolved)
Can MPs resign? No
Can MPs lose their mandate ? No
STATUS OF MEMBERS
Rank in hierarchy · Within Parliament:
1. The Chairman
2. The Deputy Chairman
3. The Chairmen of the committees/commissions
4. The Deputy Chairmen of the committees/commissions
5. The other MPs
Indemnities, facilities and services · Diplomatic passport
· Basic salary: reimbursement of expenses
· Exemption from tax for the reimbursement of expenses
· No special pension scheme
· Other facilities:
(a) Secretariat
(b) Assistants
(c) Official housing: hotel room suite for every Member
(d) Official car
(e) Security guards if necessary
(f) Postal and telephone services
(g) Travel and transport
(h) Others: medical and household services
Obligation to declare personal assets Yes
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary non-accountability · The concept does exist.
· Parliamentary non-accountability is limited to words spoken or written by MPs and votes cast within Parliament. (Parliamentary non-accountability applies to words spoken and written by MPs both within and outside Parliament.)
· Derogations: slander and libel; offence (see Discipline)
· Non-accountability takes effect on the day when the mandate begins and offers, after the expiry of the mandate, protection against prosecution for opinions expressed during the exercise of the mandate.
Parliamentary immunity - parliamentary inviolability · The concept does exist (Art. 98 of the Constitution of 12.12.1993).
· It applies only to criminal and administrative proceedings, covers all offences and protects MPs from arrest and from being held in preventive custody, from search, interrogation, and personal search.
· Derogations: in cases of flagrante delicto, the Council does not have to give its consent to the arrest, preventive custody, search or interrogation. Personal search is allowed, if stipulated by federal law, for the protection of other people's safety.
· Parliamentary inviolability does not prevent MPs from being called as witnesses before a judge or tribunal but a parliamentarian has the right to refuse to give testimony in relation to circumstances he became privy to in connection with the exercise of parliamentary duties.
· Protection is provided from the start to the end of the mandate. It does not cover judicial proceedings instituted against MPs before their election.
· Parliamentary immunity (inviolability) can be lifted (Art. 98 (2) of the Constitution):
- Competent authority: the Council of the Federation
- Procedure (Art. 98 (2) of the Constitution).
· Parliament cannot subject the prosecution and/or detention to certain conditions.
· Parliament cannot suspend the prosecution and/or detention of one of its members.
· In the event of preventive custody or imprisonment, the MPs concerned cannot be authorised to attend sittings of Parliament.
EXERCISE OF THE MANDATE
Training · There is no training/initiation process on parliamentary practices and procedures for MPs.
· Handbooks of parliamentary procedure:
- Regulations of the Council of the Federation
Participation in the work of the Parliament · It is not compulsory for MPs to be present at plenary sittings, committee meetings and other meetings.
· There are no penalties foreseen in case of failure to attend meetings
Discipline · The rules governing discipline within Parliament are contained in the Regulations of the Council of the Federation.
· Disciplinary measures foreseen:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman
· Specific cases:
- Offence: deprivation of the floor
· Competent body to judge such cases/to apply penalties:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak, offence: the Chairman
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman: the Council of the Federation
· Procedure:
- Withdrawal of the right to speak, offence
- Transferral of the functions of the Chairman to another Chairman
Code (rules) of conduct · This concept does not yet exist in the country's juridical system but a concept of rules of ethics of deputies is in the process of being developed.
Relations between MPs and pressure group · There are no legal provisions in this field but a concept of a draft law on lobbyist activities is being prepared.

This page was last updated on 24 November 2016
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