Basic Law of the Russian Federation adopted 30 years ago

On December 12, 2023, our country celebrates the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Preservation in electronic form and popularization of publications, films, photo and video materials, archival documents on the history of the Russian state are the most important areas of activity of the Presidential Library. Multimedia lessons, video lectures and other events dedicated to this topic are regularly held.

The Presidential Library’s portal features with the digital collection Constitution - Basic Law. It includes the texts of the constitutions of the Russian state, starting with the first Constitution of the RSFSR in 1918. The collection introduces the texts of the constitutions of the USSR of 1924, 1936, 1977 (with amendments and additions), as well as the constitutions of the RSFSR of 1925, 1937 and 1978.

A large section of the collection is dedicated to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, in force since 1993, in all its editions, including those approved during the All-Russian vote on July 1, 2020. The text of the document is posted in the electronic collections and published on the official portal, where one can also learn about the texts and publications of the constitutions and charters of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Of particular interest are materials that were received by the Presidential Library for digitization from the Archive of the President of the Russian Federation, the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation and the Library of the Administrative Directorate of the President of the Russian Federation. These documents spotlight the direct participation of the head of state in the work on the draft Constitution, the work of the Constitutional Conference, the process of approval of the draft Basic Law by government bodies, public organizations, as well as its adoption by popular vote. The library’s portal features copies of documents from meetings of participants in the development of the text of the Constitution, video recordings of their speeches and interviews.

The library's electronic collections contain many documents revealing the history of Russian constitutionalism. Among them are the State Charter of the Russian Empire (a project developed on the instructions of Emperor Alexander I), a rare publication The Struggle for the Constitution, covering the period from 1612 to 1861 and containing a large amount of historical information and statements of famous people, as well as others important historical, including archival, materials.

One of the central halls of the Presidential Library is the Constitution Hall. One can visit it directly on the portal, thanks to a virtual tour (3D tour). The permanent exhibition of the hall includes printed publications, photographs and newsreels, archival and many other documents reflecting the history of constitutionalism in Russia from the origin of constitutional ideas to the creation and adoption of the current Constitution, as well as materials related to the development of the institution of the presidency and state symbols of Russia.

The main exhibit is an exact copy of the inaugural copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, donated to the Presidential Library on its opening day, May 27, 2009. It is available both in the Constitution Hall and on a virtual tour on the Presidential Library's portal.

The digital collection Constitution - Basic Law is constantly updated with new materials: digitized printed publications, archival documents, photo, video and audio materials, recordings of lectures and cultural and educational events, it is available to Internet users from anywhere in the world.