Presentation for POL 328 Dr. Kevin Lasher

Post-Soviet Russia

Politics in Russia, 1992-93 Implementing free market reforms Economic pain of “shock therapy” versus high expectations Unclear Executive-Legislative relations Resentment over collapse of USSR (many left-over communists) Little experience with democratic institutions “Authoritarian” Yeltsin Ambitious Speaker Khasbulatov and VP Rutskoi

President Yeltsin Popular election to “President” of Russia in June 1991 Becomes President of Russian Federation upon collapse of USSR Weak constitutional presidency, wants stronger presidency

President Yeltsin Yeltsin halfway between democrat and authoritarian No unified party base Some compromise, little lobbying, expects “legislative obedience” Primary task to destroy old system and create market economy ASAP Economic transformation over building political institutions

President Yeltsin Should have created new constitution and called for new elections in early 1992

Russian Legislature Congress of Peoples’ Deputies Supreme Soviet (1068 delegates) Supreme Soviet (252 delegates)

Russian Legislature One-third reformist, one-third anti-reformist, one third “on the fence” Yeltsin brings about 200 legislators into government (legislator-bureaucrats) Growing anti-reformist legislature by mid-1992/1993

Russian Legislature Very little understanding of parliamentary democracy Competition between executive and legislature for ultimate power

Speaker and Vice-President Speaker Ruslan Khasbulatov VP Alexander Rutskoi

Speaker and Vice-President Opposition to Yeltsin’s painful economic policies turns into opposition to Yeltsin Khasbulatov and Rutskoi join forces to topple Yeltsin Don’t back down even after pro-Yeltsin referendum in April 1993

Speaker and Vice-President Situation deteriorates through summer 1993

October 4, 1993

Post-1993 New constitution passed which creates “super-presidency” New elections with mixed results in 1993 and neo-communist majority in 1995 Yeltsin and former-communist PM Chernomyrdin find some “common ground” with new legislature Everyone waiting for presidential election of 1996

Post-1993 Shock therapy and privatization are slowed, inflation is reduced but economy continues to shrink Political system is somewhat stabilized, but economic problems continue

The End