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the state duma,
as the lower house of parliament, is formed through direct
nationwide elections and represents the country抯 population as a
whole. the name 揝tate duma?was borrowed from the representative
legislative body that existed in prerevolutionary russia in
1906-1917. all in all 450 deputies are elected to the state duma for
a term of four years. |
the main
function of the state duma is the drawing up of laws. before being
brought to the attention of the deputies at a state duma session,
bills are worked out and refined in the permanent state duma
committees, which specialize in a particular aspect of the
legislative process.
the duma has
exclusive jurisdiction over approving the president抯 appointment of
the chairman of government (i.e., prime-minister), the raising of
votes of confidence in the government, the nomination and dismissal
of certain top government officials, the granting of amnesty, and
the initiation of charges against the president during the
impeachment procedure.
the president can dissolve the state duma in the event that
it rejects his candidate for the post of prime minister three times
or if it raises a vote of no confidence in the government twice in
the course of three months. this presidential prerogative is subject
to a number of limitations, however. for example, after dissolving
the duma the president must set the date for new elections, so that
the newly-elected duma could begin its work no later than four
months after the dissolution of the previous one.
