From the first free elections in post-Soviet Russia in 1989 to the end of the Yeltsin period in 1999, Russia's parliament was the site of great political upheavals. Conflicts between communists and reformers generated constant turmoil, and twice parliamentary institutions broke down in violence. This book offers an account of the inaugural decade of Russia's parliament. It describes in unique detail the parliament of 1989–1991 under Mikhail Gorbachev, the interim parliament of 1990–1993, and the current Federal Assembly. Focusing particularly on the emergence of parliamentary parties and bicam ... More

From the first free elections in post-Soviet Russia in 1989 to the end of the Yeltsin period in 1999, Russia's parliament was the site of great political upheavals. Conflicts between communists and reformers generated constant turmoil, and twice parliamentary institutions broke down in violence. This book offers an account of the inaugural decade of Russia's parliament. It describes in unique detail the parliament of 1989–1991 under Mikhail Gorbachev, the interim parliament of 1990–1993, and the current Federal Assembly. Focusing particularly on the emergence of parliamentary parties and bicameralism, the book explores how the organization of the Russian parliament changed, why some changes failed while others were accepted, and why the current parliament is more effective and viable than its predecessors. It links the story of parliamentary evolution in Russia to contemporary theories of institutional development and concludes that, notwithstanding the turbulence of Russia's first postcommunist decade, parliament has served as a stabilizing influence in Russian political life.