The Yabloko Association believes that changes needs to be made to the procedure for forming both the Federation Council and the State Duma. On August 4, 2000, Deputy Head of the Yabloko faction in the State Duma Sergei Ivanenko told journalists that an inquiry to the Constitutional Court has been drafted, which contains a request for more precise interpretation of the articles of the Constitution, "to be more precise, to explain what is understood by the term "formation" of the Federation Council and whether the direct election of members of the upper chamber is possible within the context of said interpretation".

Ivanenko also noted that once 90 parliament members have signed this inquiry, it will be forwarded to the Constitutional Court in September. Ivanenko confirmed once again that "Yabloko advocates direct elections to the Federation Council". In addition, he also said that a draft law had been submitted to the State Duma, which envisages that 70% of the deputies would be elected to the Duma by party lists and 30% by single mandate electoral districts.

Ivanenko said: "We think that the State Duma should only represent political parties and movements, i.e. all deputies should be elected by party lists." He also thinks that the present mixed electoral system to the Duma (50% of the Duma are elected under a majority (first past the post) system and 50% according to proportional representation) is indicative of "a transitional system".

Ivanenko also said that he categorically opposes proposals to completely exclude election of deputies according to party lists. If this happens, the Duma will acquire a considerable number of deputies who either depend on the authorities or represent the black market criminal capital.

Asked whether the State Council should be accorded constitutional status, (as has been widely discussed) Sergei Ivanenko stressed that this body "can be only an advisory body and should not be granted any constitutional status". Ivanenko noted that at present the country enjoys a certain balance of power and the redistribution of power proxies in favour of some other new body would not be rational.

Ivanenko added: "We should develop further what we have, specify the competence of the present structures, create a system of constraings and counterbalances and only make changes to the Constitution in our pursuit of this goal." He also noted that making changes to the Constitution was "a very complicated procedure and experience tends to indicate that changes to the Basic Law can only be made, if there is a very high level of social consensust". In any case, stressed Ivanenko, this is a protracted process and such changes cannot be made quickly.

Based on Interfax reports.

See also:

Vladimir Lukin does not think that the State Council should be provided with constitutional functions