Recently, the Government of the Russian Federation submitted to the State Duma a bill on direct elections of the mayor. If it is approved and receives the status of law, the mayor will not be able to be elected in the future by members of the local government from among its members.
A person who is a member of a local self-government body has the right to apply for the post of mayor, but in order to take it, he will have to nominate himself, take part in the election campaign and get the support of the majority of voters in this municipality.
According to the deputy of the State Duma from the United Russia party, chairman of the All-Russian Council of Local Self-Government Vyacheslav Timchenko, this is a useful and necessary initiative, which will certainly be supported by the deputies in the future. Of course, the return of direct elections for heads of mayors will not solve all the accumulated problems, but will contribute to the real development of local self-government, an increase in the activity of citizens and their participation in solving everyday pressing issues. After all, now some citizens have the following position: “I did not elect our mayor, I cannot influence him in any way, nothing depends on me”. With the return of direct elections for mayors, the situation should change.
Vyacheslav Timchenko especially noted that the draft law does not imply a standard, stereotyped attitude towards all municipalities of the Russian Federation without exception. After all, municipalities in such a huge country differ in many respects from each other, both in terms of area, climatic conditions, and population. Therefore, what is good and useful for one may turn out to be completely unsuccessful for another.
The bill provides for a certain "freedom of maneuver" for each municipality. For example, the victorious mayor may become the head of the administration, concentrating all power in his hands. But another option is not excluded, for example, if the city was successfully run by the institute of city managers, the winning mayor can leave him all economic powers, while at the same time heading the representative body of the municipality. This depends on the statutes of each particular municipality. Also, the powers of municipalities will include the election of the chairman of the control and accounting body.
