Federal law “On political parties” signed

On July 11, 2001 Russian President V. Putin signed a federal law “On political parties” adopted by the State Duma on June 21 and approved by the Federation Council on June 29, 2001.

The law took force from the moment of its signing and was published on July 11, 2001 on “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” website.

Federal law “On political parties” includes a precise constitutional definition of a political party as well as the goals for its activity. According to the text of preamble to the Federal law, in Russian Federation political diversity and multi-party system is recognized. On the assumption of this constitutional principle the state guarantees the equality of political parties in the face of law regardless of ideologies, goals and objects stated in their articles of association and policies. The state also secures the observance of rights and legal interests of political parties.

The primary goals of a political party are: formation of public opinion; political education of citizens; expression of opinion of citizens on any questions of social life, bringing these opinions to the notice of public at large and the government bodies; nomination of candidates during elections for legislative bodies of state power and representative bodies of local authorities, participation in elections to the abovementioned bodies and working for them.

Federal law “On political parties” does not stipulate the creation of any political social associations other than political parties.

Under the law a party should include not less than 10 000 people and have regional branches of minimum 100 people in number each in more than a half of the RF regions. In other regional branches the size of each of them should not be less than 50 members of the political party. Creation and activity of interregional, regional and local political parties as well as other political and social associations are not stipulated by the law.

Under the law parties are subject to registration. In case a party violates its own rules, there is a way of abolishment of a party set out by the law.

The law also stipulated a partial financing of parties from the national budget on the basis of the results of their participation in elections in proportion to the number of voices obtained. The state financing is provided to parties in two cases: if a party obtains minimum 3% of voices at Parliament elections or if minimum 12 candidates of the party gain the elections in single-seat electoral districts. Meanwhile under the law parties reserve the right to refuse state financing.

Party member might be any RF citizen aged 18. Foreigners as well as persons without citizenship are not allowed to political activity in Russia.

Lit.: О политических партиях: Федеральный закон от 11 июля 2001 г. N 95-ФЗ [Электронный ресурс] // Гарант. 2014. URL: http://base.garant.ru/183523/1/#100; Торшенко А. А., Михайлова Е. А. Законодательство Российской Федерации о политических партиях // Чиновникъ. 2003. № 103 (23).