Thursday, 28.03.2024, 21:03 | Welcome Guest | Registration | Login

The Federation Council of Russia.

The Federation Council of Russia is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia (parliament of the Russian Federation), according to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation. 

It's main building is situated at 26, Bol'shaya Dmitrovka street. 

As the upper house of the Federal Assembly, the Federation Council is viewed as a more formal chamber than the lower house State Duma. Because of its federalist design, as well as its voting franchise strictly limited to provincial elites, the Council is viewed as less volatile to radical changes.

The Council is charged in cooperating with the State Duma in completing and voting on draft laws. Federal laws concerning budgets, customs regulations, credit monitoring, and the ratification of international treaties are to be considered by the Council after they have been adopted from the State Duma, where most legislation is introduced.

Special powers that accorded only to the Federation Council are:
Approval of changes in borders between subjects of the Russian Federation;
Approval of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction of martial law;
Approval of a decree of the President of the Russian Federation on the introduction of a state of emergency;
Deciding on the possibility of using the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation outside the territory of the Russian Federation;
Declaring of elections of the President of the Russian Federation;
Impeachment of the President of the Russian Federation;
approving the president's nomination of judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, of the Higher Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation;
approving the president's nomination of the Attorney General of the Russian Federation;
Appointment of Deputy Chairman and half of the auditors of the Accounting Chamber.

For laws to pass the Federation Council, a vote of more than half of its 176 senators is required.

Building at 26 Bolshaya Dmitrovka was built in 1983. Until 1990 it was the USSR State Committee for Construction, in 1990-1991 it housed the Office of the Council of Ministers, in 1992-1994 - the House of the Russian press. After the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which was set to determine the structure of the Federal Assembly - the parliament of the Russian Federation - the representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation - the building houses the Federation Council.

Here you can find a picture gallery of the insides of this building.

The official web-site is here.