Government of Russia

The Government of the Russian Federation (Russian: Прави́тельство Росси́йской Федера́ции) exercises executive power in the Russian Federation. The members of the government are the prime minister (Chairman of the Government), the deputy prime ministers, and the federal ministers. It has its legal basis in the Constitution of the Russian Federation and the federal constitutional law "On the Government of the Russian Federation".^[1]

Overview

After the fall of the Soviet Union, the Russian Council of Ministers had become the main executive body. At some points it contained over 65 state committees, 16–17 ministers, 5 federal services, and over 30 governmental agencies. After the 2004 reform, government duties were split between 17 ministries, 5 federal services, and over 30 governmental agencies.

The prime minister is appointed by the president of the Russian Federation and confirmed by the State Duma. He or she succeeds to the presidency if the current president dies, is incapacitated, or resigns. The current prime minister is Vladimir Putin.

The government issues its acts in the way of decisions (Постановления) and orders (Распоряжения). These must not contradict the constitution, constitutional laws, federal laws, and Presidential decrees, and are signed by the Prime Minister.

Responsibilities

The government is the subject of the 6th chapter of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. According to the constitution, the government of the Russian Federation must:

1. draft and submit the federal budget to the State Duma; ensure the implementation of the budget and report on its implementation to the State Duma;
2. ensure the implementation of a uniform financial, credit and monetary policy in the Russian Federation ;
3. ensure the implementation of a uniform state policy in the areas of culture, science, education, health protection, social security and ecology;
4. manage federal property;
5. adopt measures to ensure the country's defence, state security, and the implementation of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation;
6. implement measures to ensure the rule of law, human rights and freedoms, the protection of property and public order, and crime control;
7. exercise any other powers vested in it by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, federal laws and presidential decrees.^[2]

History

The body was preceded by Government of the Soviet Union. Since the Russian Federation emerged in 1991, the government's structure has undergone several major changes. In the initial years, government bodies, primarily the different ministries, underwent massive reorganization as the old Soviet governing networks were adapted to the new state. Many reshuffles and renamings occurred.

On 28 November 1991 President of the RSFSR Boris Yeltsin signed presidential decree № 242 "On reorganization of the government bodies of the RSFSR" (Russian: "О реорганизации центральных органов государственного управления РСФСР").

In 28 July 2004 President Vladimir Putin signed the Presidential Decree (with later corrections) "On the structure of the federal executive bodies". This split some ministries, turned some ministerial offices into agencies and established some new services as government bodies. In total there were 17 ministries, 7 federal services and over 30 federal agencies.

The most recent change took place on 12 May 2008 when President Dmitry Medvedev signed presidential decree № 724.^[3]

Structure

The current Russian government is made up of the prime minister, two first deputy prime ministers, seven deputy prime ministers and 17 ministers. In total there are 18 ministries (Aleksey Kudrin is both deputy prime minister and finance minister).^[4]

Most ministries and federal services report directly to the prime minister, who then reports to the president. A small number of bodies responsible for security and foreign policy are, however, directly under the president's authority. Informally they are collectively referred to as the "presidential bloc."^[5] This consists of the Interior Ministry, the Foreign Ministry, the Emergencies Ministry, the Defence Ministry, the Justice Ministry and seven federal agencies and services.^[6]

Cabinet Members

^[7]

References

External links

• Official website of the Government of Russia
• Organigram of the federal executive bodies at government website (Russian)

See also

• List of heads of government of Russia
• Government of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic
• Government of the Soviet Union