Soviet of Nationalities

The Soviet of Nationalities was a representative chamber of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR, the republican legislature that became the legislature of the Russian Federation during the transition away from the Soviet political system. It was created as part of the restructuring of the formerly unicameral Supreme Soviet during the constitutional reforms of the late 1980s. The Soviet of the Republic was established in 1989, and the two-chamber arrangement was put into operation following the election of the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation in 1990. The chamber was designed to provide territorial and nationality-based representation. Between 1990 and 1993 it contained 126 deputies. Its membership was elected by and from among the Congress of People's Deputies rather than through a separate nationwide direct election. The allocation formula provided three deputies for each republic, one deputy for each autonomous oblast, one deputy for each autonomous district, and 63 deputies representing the krais, oblasts, and federal cities of Russia. This structure sought to give the constituent territories of the Russian federation a formal voice while keeping the chamber at a size comparable to the Soviet of the Republic. The representation rules were amended on 1 November 1991. The amendment addressed situations in which republics, autonomous oblasts, autonomous districts, krais, or oblasts could not be adequately represented through the designated national-territorial constituencies. In such cases, deputies from national districts could propose deputies elected from territorial districts for inclusion in the Soviet of Nationalities. The change reflected the practical and constitutional difficulties of building a balanced federal legislature during the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the formation of the Russian Federation. The chamber operated during a period of intense institutional conflict. The Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet were central organs of the Russian constitutional order established by the amended 1978 Constitution, but their relationship with the presidency became increasingly contentious in 1993. On 21 September 1993, President Boris Yeltsin issued a decree dissolving the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet, including the Soviet of Nationalities. The dissolution was resisted by the parliament and was ultimately enforced after the armed confrontation and siege of the parliament building in Moscow. The chamber therefore ceased to exist in the constitutional crisis of autumn 1993 and was not carried forward into the post-1993 federal legislative system.

The Soviet of Nationalities was established as part of the late-Soviet constitutional reorganization of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR. Before the reform, the republican Supreme Soviet was unicameral. In 1989, the Soviet of the Republic was established alongside the Soviet of Nationalities, creating a two-chamber legislature during a period in which the Russian republic was acquiring greater political autonomy from the Soviet Union. The chamber was elected in 1990 by and from among the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation. It was not a commercial organization or an electoral brand, but a constitutional legislative body representing republics, autonomous territories, and other territorial units. From 1990 to 1993 it consisted of 126 deputies. The allocation of seats combined national-territorial and ordinary territorial representation: each republic received three deputies, each autonomous oblast and autonomous district received one, and 63 deputies represented krais, oblasts, and federal cities. The arrangement was intended to balance the chambers and ensure that constituent territories received representation even though the number of national districts alone was insufficient to fill a chamber of equal size. On 1 November 1991, the Congress adopted an additional constitutional provision for cases in which republics, autonomous oblasts, autonomous districts, krais, or oblasts could not be represented through the prescribed arrangements. Deputies from national districts could then propose deputies from territorial districts for inclusion in the chamber. The Soviet of Nationalities functioned during the politically unstable transition from the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Russian Federation. Its institutional life was tied to the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet operating under the amended 1978 Constitution. Conflict between the legislature and the presidency intensified in 1993. On 21 September of that year, President Boris Yeltsin ordered the dissolution of the Congress of People's Deputies and the Supreme Soviet. The parliamentary leadership rejected the order, and the confrontation escalated into the armed siege of the parliament building. After the crisis was forcibly resolved, the dissolution of the legislative bodies became effective and the Soviet of Nationalities disappeared. The constitutional system that replaced it did not retain the chamber under that name.

• 1993

  Dissolution during the constitutional crisis

  [1]Soviet of Nationalities (Supreme Soviet of Russia)en.wikipedia.org

  The chamber was dissolved with the Congress of People's Deputies and Supreme Soviet on 21 September; the dissolution became effective after the armed siege of parliament.

• 1991

  Additional representation provision adopted

  [1]Soviet of Nationalities (Supreme Soviet of Russia)en.wikipedia.org

  On 1 November, the Congress adopted a provision permitting national-district deputies to propose territorial-district deputies when designated areas could not be represented as prescribed.

• 1990

  Chamber elected and begins operation

  [1]Soviet of Nationalities (Supreme Soviet of Russia)en.wikipedia.org

  The chamber was elected by and from among the Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Federation and operated with 126 deputies.

• 1989

  Bicameral Supreme Soviet structure established

  [1]Soviet of Nationalities (Supreme Soviet of Russia)en.wikipedia.org

  The Soviet of Nationalities was created alongside the Soviet of the Republic during the reorganization of the formerly unicameral Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR.

A nationality- and territory-representation chamber within the transitional republican legislature of the Russian SFSR and early Russian Federation.

• 1993

  Dissolution of the chamberOther

  Background

  A severe constitutional conflict developed between President Boris Yeltsin and the Congress of People's Deputies and Supreme Soviet.

  Action taken

  On 21 September, the president ordered the dissolution of the legislature, including the Soviet of Nationalities.

  Aftermath

  The order was enforced after the armed siege of parliament, ending the chamber's existence and the constitutional framework in which it operated.

  Source

• 1991

  Adoption of a supplementary representation ruleOther

  Background

  The existing allocation formula did not always provide a practical way to represent all republics, autonomous areas, and other territorial units.

  Action taken

  On 1 November, the Congress authorized deputies from national districts to propose deputies from territorial districts for inclusion in the Soviet of Nationalities when the prescribed representation could not be achieved.

  Aftermath

  The amendment was intended to preserve a balanced chamber during the rapidly changing territorial and constitutional conditions of the early Russian Federation.

  Source

1. 1Soviet of Nationalities (Supreme Soviet of Russia)en.wikipedia.org