Russian Federation 1993 Constitution (reviewed 2014)

CHAPTER 4. THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Article 80

1. The President of the Russian Federation shall be the Head of State.
2. The President of the Russian Federation shall be the guarantor of the Constitution of the Russian Federation and of human and civil rights and freedoms. In accordance with the procedure established by the Constitution of the Russian Federation, he (she) shall adopt measures to protect the sovereignty of the Russian Federation, its independence and State integrity, and shall ensure the coordinated functioning and interaction of State government bodies.
3. The President of the Russian Federation shall, in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal laws, determine the basic objectives of the internal and foreign policy of the State.
4. The President of the Russian Federation, as the Head of State, shall represent the Russian Federation within the country and in international relations.

Article 81

1. The President of the Russian Federation shall be elected for six years by citizens of the Russian Federation on the basis of universal, equal, direct suffrage by secret ballot.
2. Any citizen of the Russian Federation not younger than 35 years of age who has resided in the Russian Federation on a permanent basis for not less than 10 years may be elected President of the Russian Federation.
3. One and the same person cannot hold the office of the President of the Russian Federation for more than two terms running.
4. The procedure for elections of the President of the Russian Federation shall be determined by federal law.

Article 82

1. On assuming office the President of the Russian Federation shall take the following oath of loyalty to the people:”I swear that in exercising the powers of the President of the Russian Federation I shall respect and protect human and civil rights and freedoms, observe and protect the Constitution of the Russian Federation, protect the sovereignty and independence, security and integrity of the State, and faithfully serve the people”.
2. The oath shall be taken in a solemn ceremony in the presence of members of the Council of Federation, deputies of the State Duma and judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation.

Article 83

The President of the Russian Federation:

1. shall appoint, with the consent of the State Duma, the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation;
2. shall have the right to chair meetings of the Government of the Russian Federation;
3. shall adopt decisions on the resignation of the Government of the Russian Federation;
4. shall nominate to the State Duma a candidate for appointment to the post of Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation; shall raise before the State Duma the issue of relieving the Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation of his post;
5. in accordance with proposals of the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation, shall appoint and relieve of their post deputy chairmen of the Government of the Russian Federation and federal ministers;
6. shall present to the Council of Federation candidates for the posts of judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, shall appoint judges of other federal courts;
7. shall present to the Council of Federation candidates for the posts of Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation and deputies of the Prosecutor General of the Russian Federation, shall submit to the Council of Federation proposals to relieve the Prosecutor General and deputies of the Prosecutor General of their posts, shall appoint and relieve from posts public prosecutors of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, as well as other prosecutors, except for public prosecutors of cities, districts and prosecutors equated with them;
8. shall appoint and dismiss the representatives of the Russian Federation in the Council of the Federation;
9. shall form and head the Security Council of the Russian Federation, the status of which shall be determined by federal law;
10. shall approve the military doctrine of the Russian Federation;
11. shall form the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation;
12. shall appoint and dismiss plenipotentiary representatives of the President of the Russian Federation;
13. shall appoint and dismiss supreme commanders of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation;
14. shall appoint and recall after consultations with appropriate committees and commissions of the chambers of the Federal Assembly diplomatic representatives of the Russian Federation in foreign States and international organisations.

Article 84

The President of the Russian Federation:

1. shall announce elections to the State Duma in accordance with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal law;
2. shall dissolve the State Duma in the cases and in accordance with the procedure provided for by the Constitution of the Russian Federation;
3. shall announce referendums in accordance with the procedure established by federal constitutional law;
4. shall submit draft laws to the State Duma;
5. shall sign and promulgate federal laws;
6. shall address the Federal Assembly with annual messages on the situation in the country and on the basic objectives of the internal and foreign policy of the State.

Article 85

1. The President of the Russian Federation may use conciliatory procedures to resolve disputes between State government bodies of the Russian Federation and State government bodies of constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and disputes between State government bodies of constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In the event that no agreed decision is reached, he (she) shall have the right to refer the dispute to the appropriate court.
2. The President of the Russian Federation shall have the right to suspend acts of executive government bodies of constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the event that these acts conflict with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal laws or with international commitments of the Russian Federation, or violate human and civil rights and freedoms until the issue is resolved by an appropriate court.

Article 86

The President of the Russian Federation:

1. shall direct the foreign policy of the Russian Federation;
2. shall hold negotiations and sign international treaties of the Russian Federation;
3. shall sign instruments of ratification;
4. shall receive letters of credence and letters of recall of diplomatic representatives accredited to his (her) office.

Article 87

1. The President of the Russian Federation shall be the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
2. In the event of aggression against the Russian Federation or of a direct threat of aggression, the President of the Russian Federation shall introduce martial law on the territory of the Russian Federation or on certain parts thereof and shall immediately inform the Council of Federation and the State Duma of this.
3. The regime of martial law shall be defined by federal constitutional law.

Article 88

The President of the Russian Federation, in the circumstances and in accordance with the procedure envisaged by federal constitutional law, shall introduce a state of emergency on the territory of the Russian Federation or on certain parts thereof and shall immediately inform the Council of Federation and the State Duma of this.

Article 89

The President of the Russian Federation:

1. shall decide on issues of citizenship of the Russian Federation and of granting political asylum;
2. shall bestow State awards of the Russian Federation and confer honorary titles of the Russian Federation and supreme military and supreme special titles;
3. shall grant pardon.

Article 90

1. The President of the Russian Federation shall issue edicts and regulations.
2. The edicts and regulations of the President of the Russian Federation shall be binding on the entire territory of the Russian Federation.
3. Edicts and regulations of the President of the Russian Federation must not conflict with the Constitution of the Russian Federation and federal laws.

Article 91

The President of the Russian Federation shall have immunity.

Article 92

1. The President of the Russian Federation shall begin to exercise his (her) powers from the moment of taking the oath and shall cease to do so when his (her) term of office expires and after a newly-elected the President of the Russian Federation has been sworn in.
2. The President of the Russian Federation shall cease to exercise his (her) powers before the end of his (her) term in the event of his (her) resignation, persistent inability for health reasons to carry out the powers invested in him (her), or impeachment. Presidential elections shall be held before the expiration of three months from the date of the early termination of presidential office.
3. In all cases where the President of the Russian Federation is unable to fulfil his (her) duties, they shall be temporarily delegated to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Acting President of the Russian Federation shall not have the right to dissolve the State Duma, call a referendum or to submit proposals for amendments to and the revision of the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Article 93

1. The President of the Russian Federation may be impeached by the Council of Federation only on the basis of charges of high treason or of another grave crime brought by the State Duma and confirmed by a resolution of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on the existence of indications of a crime in the actions of the President of the Russian Federation and by a resolution of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation confirming that the established procedure for bringing charges has been observed.
2. The decision of the State Duma to bring charges and the decision of the Council of Federation to impeach the President must be adopted by two-thirds of votes of the total number of members of each chamber on the initiative of not less than one third of deputies of the State Duma and on the basis of a resolution of a special commission setup by the State Duma.
3. The decision of the Council of Federation to impeach the President of the Russian Federation must be adopted not later than three months after the State Duma brings charges against the President. If a decision of the Council of Federation is not adopted within this time the charges against the President shall be regarded as having been declined.