Regional cleavages in Russian legislative politics, 1990-93

Abstract:

Despite the growing influence of the parliamentary system and at the same time of regionalist tendencies in early postcommunist Russia, little attention has so far been paid to the role of deputies in the national parliament as the agency by which contending claims were aggregated. This study focuses upon the influence of regionalism in the Congress of People's Deputies of Russia between 1990 and 1993 and its implications for future reform, including the development of federal relations. This discussion of regionalism in the Congresses leads us to the conclusion that regional socio-economic disparities affected the attitudes of deputies towards reform including possible changes in centre-periphery relations. However, the study also shows that regional interest articulation was rather chaotic, hampering the legislative process and encouraging an increasing diversity in regional patterns of reform. If the powers of the regions are to take place in a more stable manner, this study suggests, regional coordination in the central parliament should be increased.