political parties

Social movements in the Russian Federation and their participation in elections: Current state and prospects of development

Introduction. The socio-political sphere of the state is the foundation of its democratic development and a prerequisite for longterm state-building. The history of the development of the Russian state testifies to the absence of traditions of the formation of democratic institutions and their development. Social movements in the modern state are the mainstay of the development of the country’s political system and the prerequisite for the formation of new political parties. In accordance with the Federal Law “On Public Associations”, a public movement is a type of public association that has a mass character and pursues social, political and other socially useful goals. Taking into account the peculiarities of the current stage of constitutional and legal regulation of the activities of political parties, it is necessary to consider the issue of expanding the participation of social movements in the socio-political life and in the electoral process. Theoretical analysis. Today, Russia stands on the path of democratic transformation of all state institutions. The institutions of the socio-political sphere of civil society also need this transformation. The activities of political parties in a country with a stable constitutional framework are the basis for the exercise of state power. The functioning party system of modern Russia is not characterized by elements of completeness. Social movements, taking into account the Russian reality, could become a platform for the formation of competitive political parties in the future. Empirical analysis. The analysis of the content of the Federal Law “On the basic guarantees of electoral rights and the right to participate in the referendum of citizens of the Russian Federation” indicates the legal consolidation of such a concept as “electoral association”. This concept is introduced to define the subject of electoral actions in the process of holding elections at various territorial levels. Its content indicates that in the framework of federal and regional elections, these are primarily political parties. In elections to local self-government bodies, such an electoral association may be a public movement, provided that the purpose of participation in the elections is fixed in the statutory documents. Results. The natural process of forming political parties is related to their grassroots level of formation. Today’s Russian party system is in crisis, and small political parties do not enjoy electoral support. It is necessary to create legal conditions for the development of socio-political movements – as an organizational basis for the formation of political parties with stable political programs. The conclusion is formulated that among all the variety of social movements functioning in Russia, one can distinguish such a variety as socio-political movements and provide for their right to nominate candidates for deputies in single-mandate and multi-mandate electoral districts, as well as their participation in the implementation of public control in Russia.

Izv. Sarat. Univ. Economics. Management. Law, 2021, vol. 21, iss. 3

Legal Problems of Interaction between the State and Political Parties in Modern Russia

Introduction. The article substantiates the judgment about the lack of regulation of the issue of interaction between the state and political parties: the law stipulates neither the principles nor the form, nor the order, nor the sphere of interaction of political parties with the state. There is no mechanism for taking into account and implementing the recommendations and proposals of political parties in the state management sphere, which makes it impossible for political parties to have a real impact on state policy. Meanwhile, the legislation on political parties contains the requirements for the establishment, activities of parties, as well as the system of state guarantees in the information, financial and other spheres.

The purpose is to justify the idea that one can speak of unilateral impact of the state on the parties rather than of parity interaction of the state and political parties.

Theoretical analysis. The legislative regulation of interaction between parties and the state is enshrined only in article 10 of the Federal law “On political parties” in the form of a ban on mutual influence on each other’s activities, which is clearly not enough for effective cooperation. Namely, it should be a condition for the full development of political and state-legal systems. The lack of clearly defined principles, forms and methods of interaction between the state and political parties led, firstly, to the state’s influence on political parties, primarily through the system of financial and information resources provided to the parties participating in the elections, and, secondly, to selective control over the activities of political parties, which leads to inequality of the actual situation of the latter.

Conclutions. The analysis of the Russian legislation has shown that the multidimensional goal of creation and activity of political parties in Russia cannot be realized, as political parties are in subordinate position when interacting with state, as there are no effective guarantees and mechanisms of influence on the state legal life.

IZVESTIYA OF SARATOV UNIVERSITY. NEW SERIES. SERIES: ECONOMICS. MANAGEMENT. LAW. 2018. vol. 18, iss. 4

The Participation of Citizens in Managing the Affairs of the State Through the Activity of Political Parties at the Local Level

Introduction. The article is dedicated to analyze questions and opportunities of participation of citizens in managing the affairs of the state through the activity of political parties at the local level. Object. The main point of the article is to analyze a regulatory framework of improving political parties’ activity at the local level ensuring the realization citizens’ rights of the participation in managing the affairs of the state. Results. The author has completed his research of Russian legislation, practice of parties’ participation in resolving local issues in the CIS counties and in the world, benchmark of Russian parties’ activity in resolving local issues. He proved that opportunities of citizen participation in government process are increasing simultaneously with the increase of number of elected local officials. Proper realization and enforcement of this citizens right to influence government on the local level and participate in management is exactly the point where political parties have growing opportunities and should be more active. Conclusion. Author concluded that parties’ activity on the local and regional level is not enough and it doesn’t confirm the priorities of the development of civil society and the political system. Author discovers roots about the opportunity of improving efficiency of political parties’ activity and the realization citizens’ rights of the participation in government process based on principles of the Russian Constitution and the legislation of the political parties. There is also a list of problems is formulated. The political parties could play a major role solving these problems.

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