The Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted by popular vote on December 12, 1993. Boris Yeltsin was then President of the country. During his reign, until 2000, no major amendments were made to the Constitution. Significant changes to the main document of the country were made in 2008.
Changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation under Boris Yeltsin
On January 9, 1996, by the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ingush Republic and the Republic of North Ossetia began to be called the Republic of Ingushetia and the Republic of Ossetia-Alania. This decision was made on the basis of state bodies of a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation.
On January 10, 1996, instead of the name Republic of Kalmykia - Khalmg Tangch, the name Republic of Kalmykia was assigned.
What changes were made to the Constitution under V. V. Putin from 2000-2008
In 2001, the Chuvash Republic - Chavash became known as the Chuvash Republic - Chuvashia. In 2003, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug was renamed the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug-Yugra.
In 2004, the Perm Region and the Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug merged into one federal subject and became the Perm Territory.
On October 14, 2005, the Taimyr Dolgan-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Evenk Autonomous Okrug were excluded from the Constitution of the Russian Federation. These two districts were included in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
The Taimyr Dolgan-Nenets Autonomous Okrug until January 1, 2007, although it was part of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, was, nevertheless, an independent subject of the Russian Federation. The merger of these two autonomous regions with the Krasnoyarsk Territory took place according to the results of a referendum that was held on April 17, 2005.
The unification of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation continued in 2006, when, instead of two names, Kamchatka Oblast and Koryak Autonomous Okrug, the name Kamchatka Territory appeared in the Constitution of Russia.
On December 30, 2006, the Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug became part of the Irkutsk Region.
The Trans-Baikal Territory was formed as a result of the unification of the Chita Region and the Aginsky Buryat Autonomous Okrug. The corresponding changes to the Constitution of the Russian Federation were made on June 21, 2007.
Changes adopted under D. A. Medvedev in 2008
In 2008, speaking with his Address to the Federal Assembly, Russian President Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev proposed to introduce a number of amendments to the Russian Constitution, which were then discussed in society for a long time. Medvedev proposed to increase the presidential term from 4 to 6 years, and the State Duma from 4 to 5 years.
In addition, he also proposed constitutionally obliging the government of the Russian Federation to present an annual report to the State Duma on the real results of its activities and to answer questions posed by the State Duma.
These amendments were ratified by the lower house of parliament and came into force on December 31, 2008.
Changes to the Constitution in 2014
On October 7, 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin submitted to the State Duma a bill on an amendment to the Russian Constitution, which would allow the merger of the Supreme Arbitration Court and the Supreme Court, and also expands the powers of the President of the Russian Federation to appoint prosecutors. These amendments were adopted and entered into force on February 6, 2014.
On July 21, 2014, an amendment to the Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted, which allows the President of the Russian Federation to appoint up to 10% of appointed representatives to the Federation Council.
