Impeachment in Russia
Article 93 of the Russian Constitution defines how a president can be removed from office. This legal clause requires specific steps before any vote takes place. The State Duma must first issue an indictment against the president. A Supreme Court opinion on procedure observance is mandatory at this stage. The Constitutional Court also provides its own assessment of the charges. Without these judicial opinions, the process cannot move forward. After the State Duma votes to indict, the Federation Council decides whether to remove the president. Both chambers require a two-thirds majority to succeed. The State Duma needs 300 affirmative votes out of 689 deputies. The Federation Council requires 114 votes to finalize removal. If the Federation Council does not vote within three months, all charges are automatically rejected.
The initiative to impeach must come from at least one third of State Duma deputies. That means 150 members must support bringing formal charges. A special commission formed by the State Duma reviews the case before voting begins. The State Duma then holds a vote on whether to indict the president. If that vote passes with 300 or more yes votes, the matter moves to the upper house. The Federation Council has exactly three months to decide on removal. They must hold their vote no later than that deadline. Failure to act within the time limit results in automatic dismissal of all accusations. This strict timeline prevents indefinite political standoffs over presidential conduct. The law treats ex-presidents the same way regarding immunity deprivation after leaving office.
On the 28th of March 1993, deputies voted against removing President Boris Yeltsin from power. Only 617 out of 689 possible votes were cast for impeachment. The required majority was never reached during this first attempt. Later that year, on the 22nd of September 1993, another charge emerged claiming constitutional violations. De jure authority transferred to Vice President Alexander Rutskoy according to parliamentary rules. Yeltsin remained in control de facto and dissolved the Supreme Soviet immediately. Armed conflict erupted between government forces and legislative opponents shortly afterward. The fighting ended with Yeltsin retaining full executive power despite the legal challenge. This standoff marked the only instance where a Russian president faced armed resistance over impeachment proceedings.
A second effort to remove Boris Yeltsin occurred in late 1993 without success. Parliamentarians failed to gather enough support to meet the two-thirds threshold. No formal indictment reached the Federation Council for final action. The State Duma did not achieve the necessary 300 affirmative votes required by law. Political divisions prevented any consensus on whether charges should proceed further. This failure demonstrated how difficult it is to build a supermajority against an incumbent leader. The process stalled before reaching the Constitutional Court or Supreme Court opinions. No judicial review took place because the initial vote lacked sufficient backing. The episode highlighted structural barriers built into Article 93 of the Constitution.
Between May 11 and the 15th of May 1999, deputies brought multiple accusations against President Yeltsin. One charge claimed he caused the collapse of the Soviet Union. Another alleged war crimes related to the ongoing conflict in Chechnya. A third accusation stated he weakened national defense capabilities significantly. Some lawmakers argued his actions amounted to genocide against the Russian people. None of these specific charges received the required 300 votes needed for indictment. The War in Chechnya charge gained the most support with 283 affirmative ballots. Other accusations like economic collapse and constitutional violations fell short even more dramatically. The CPRF faction voted 127 times in favor across various charges. LDPR members supported impeachment only once during this entire session. The People's Power group cast 43 votes supporting removal efforts. Despite intense debate, no single charge reached the legal threshold for prosecution.
All three historical attempts to impeach a Russian president have failed completely. Each effort targeted Boris Yeltsin as the sole subject of investigation. No other individual has faced formal impeachment proceedings under Article 93 since its adoption. The State Duma never achieved the necessary 300 votes in any case. The Federation Council did not vote on removal because lower house indictments stalled first. Legal requirements proved impossible to meet despite repeated political pressure. Judicial opinions from the Supreme Court and Constitutional Court were never finalized due to procedural failures. These outcomes established that presidential immunity remains extremely difficult to breach legally. The system effectively protects sitting presidents from parliamentary removal unless overwhelming consensus exists.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
How does Article 93 of the Russian Constitution define presidential removal?
Article 93 of the Russian Constitution requires specific steps including State Duma indictment and mandatory Supreme Court opinions before any vote takes place. The process mandates Constitutional Court assessment and a two-thirds majority in both chambers to succeed.
What are the exact vote counts required for impeachment in Russia?
The State Duma needs 300 affirmative votes out of 689 deputies to indict, while the Federation Council requires 114 votes to finalize removal. Both chambers must achieve a two-thirds majority to proceed with removing the president from office.
When did the first attempt to impeach Boris Yeltsin occur?
On the 28th of March 1993, deputies voted against removing President Boris Yeltsin from power. Only 617 out of 689 possible votes were cast for impeachment, failing to reach the required majority during this first attempt.
Why have all three historical attempts to remove a Russian president failed?
All three historical attempts to impeach a Russian president have failed completely because no other individual has faced formal proceedings under Article 93 since its adoption. The State Duma never achieved the necessary 300 votes in any case, preventing judicial review or final action by the Federation Council.
Which specific charges were brought against President Yeltsin between May 11 and the 15th of May 1999?
Between May 11 and the 15th of May 1999, deputies accused President Yeltsin of causing the collapse of the Soviet Union, committing war crimes in Chechnya, and weakening national defense capabilities. Some lawmakers argued his actions amounted to genocide against the Russian people, but none received the required 300 votes needed for indictment.