14. Make a report on the following topics:

1. The State system of the Russian Federation.

2. The President’s powers and duties.

15. Write a story that must end with the quotation:

“I’d rather be right than be President”. (Henry Clay)

Unit II

THE PARLIAMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF RUSSIA

Democracy is the government of the people,

by the people, for the people.

Abraham Lincoln

Pre-reading guesses

1. Before you read the text just cast a glance at the heading and guess the subject matter of the unit.

1. Write down some words and phrases related to Parliament.

2. Give your own definition of “parliament”.

3. In groups of three or four compare and contrast your notes. Discuss and report back to the class the different points of view.

4. Study the dictionary definition of “parliament” given in “Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English”:

…supreme law-making council

5. Does it coincide with your own definition of a legislative body? Compare the definitions of government given in “Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary”:

• the body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization.

• the organization through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions.

6. Which of them fits your own notion of the executive body of Russia better?

2. Give answers to the following questions:

1. Why are legislative and executive functions performed by different institutions?

2. Are these two establishments (government and the State Duma) equally important? Why?

3. Can a state be properly ruled without these two branches? Give some examples.

4. In which cases can a state do without these supreme bodies of power?

Reading II

1. The Federal Assembly – the Parliament of the Russian Federation is the representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation. It consists of two chambers: the Federation Council and the State Duma. The Federation Council includes two representatives from each constituent entity of the Russian Federation and the State Duma consists of 450 deputies.

Since 1993, elections to the Duma are divided into two parts. Till 2007 half of the seats were filled by proportional representation. It means that 225 members of the Duma were selected on the basis of party lists. The remaining 225 seats were contested in geographical constituences. But since 2007 all 450 seats in the State Duma are elected on the basis of party lists

Every four years, direct elections with a 7% threshold take place. The threshold was introduced to encourage the formation of a smaller number of parties.

The Federal Assembly is a permanently functioning body. The Federation Council and the State Duma sit separately. Their sessions are open, but they have the right to pass the decisions to conduct closed sessions. Each chamber forms committees and commissions to hold appropriate hearings. Both chambers set up the Accounts Camber to monitor implementation of the federal budget.

2. Federal laws adopted by the State Duma on the following issues must compulsorily be examined by the Federation Council:

• the federal budget;

• federal taxes and levies;

• financial, currency, credit and customs regulations, money emission;

• ratification and denunciation of international treaties of the Russian Federation;

• the status and protection of the state border of the Russian Federation;

• war and peace.

3. The Federation Council also considers a set of other issues. In particular, it approves decisions on changes of borders between constituent entities and sanctions the introduction of martial law and a state of emergency. Without the Federation Council approval, military forces cannot be used outside the country. Within its competence, there is appointment and dismissal of the Prosecutor General and judges of the supreme body of the judicial branch, the deputy Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounts Camber. Additionally, the Federation Council has the right of final decision on the impeachment of the President.

4. The following is within the jurisdiction of the State Duma:

• consent to the appointment of the Chairman of the Government of the

Russian Federation by the President of the Russian Federation;

• deciding the issue of confidence in the Government of the Russian Federation;

• appointment and dismissal of the Chairman of the Central Bank, the Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounts Chamber, the Commissioner for Human Rights;

• announcement of amnesty;

• bringing charges against the President of the Russian Federation for his impeachment.

5. The Executive power is exercised by the government, which consists of the Chairman of the Government (the Prime Minister), deputy chairmen and the federal ministers. The Chairman’s candidate is appointed by the President with the consent of the State Duma. Should the selected candidate be rejected three times, the President appoints the Prime Minister himself, dissolves the State Duma and announces new elections. Additionally, the Chairman of the Government proposes to the President candidates for the posts of deputy chairmen and the other federal ministers.

6. The government presents a draft budget to be discussed by the State Duma and it provides its implementation and realization of financial, credit and monetary policies. It carries out measures to ensure the legality, rights and freedoms of the citizens, to protect property, public order and combat crimes. It ensures state security, and the realization of foreign policy. The government ensures the implementation of a uniform state policy in the sphere of culture, science, education, social security, health, and ecology.

Language study