Elena Tokareva – A Historical and Political Analysis of the Electoral System Development in Contemporary Russia: A Look into Russia’s Parliamentary Democracy

Abstract

The electoral institution ensures the free expression of the will of the citizens in the choice of the ruler. The electoral institution is going through a difficult period not only within the post-Soviet space, but also in Russia, where it has to be adapted to the current global reality and the growing influence of network communications. Its modernization to a larger extent will depend on the understanding of its history. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive historical and political analysis of the electoral system development in contemporary Russia by looking at the institution of parliamentary democracy. For this, the study examines the approval ratings for the State Duma and the Federation Council, reported by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center between 2006 and 2020. Findings show that the current electoral institution had a significant impact on the establishment and consolidation of the political system of Russia at the beginning of the 21st century and in overcoming the consequences of the post-Soviet political transformation.