Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region

History

The history of the Leningrad Region begins in the 18th century when in 1708, even during Northern war, the huge North-West Territories of Russia were a part of the extensive Ingermanlandsky province founded by Peter I which covered lands from Estlyandiya, Novgorod, Pskov, Staraya Russa and Velikiye Luki to the Dull province, Kargopol, Olonets and Yaroslavl. In 1710 the Ingermanlandsky province was renamed into St. Petersburg.

The beginning of formation of representative bodies of the power in the Leningrad Region (then - the St. Petersburg province) can consider on February 12, 1906 when Nicholas II issued the Decree on convocation of the State Duma.

The new stage in development of a system of the representative power is connected with the February revolution of 1917. On February 27 in Tauride Palace in Petrograd the first meeting of the Petrograd Council took place. The provincial congress of Councils became the supreme authority in the province, executive functions were allocated for gubispolky. It was fixed in July, 1918 by the Constitution of RSFSR.

In 1924 Petrograd was renamed into Leningrad, and the Petrograd province in Leningrad.

On August 1, 1927 the resolution of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and Council of People's Commissars of RSFSR formed the Leningrad Region and three-stage administrative division is entered: district, area, Village Council.

From 1927 to 1936 the representative power in the Leningrad Region was performed by the Leningrad regional council of working, country and Red Army deputies.

In December, 1939 there took place the first elections under the new Constitution of the USSR according to which the Leningrad regional council of working, country and Red Army deputies was renamed into the Leningrad regional council of deputies of workers.

The first session of the First convocation of the Leningrad regional council of workers opened on January 20, 1948. The Leningrad regional council of deputies of workers worked 16 convocations till June 24, 1977.

On October 7, 1977 the new Constitution of the USSR was adopted. According to it the Leningrad regional council of deputies of workers was renamed into the Leningrad regional council of People's Deputies.

The political crisis in September, 1993 led to liquidation of Councils as representative bodies of the government in Russia.

According to the Constitution of the Russian Federation accepted in December, 1993 new legislature in each territorial subject of the Russian Federation was formed.

The Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region created on the basis of the country constitution is permanent legislative (representative) public authority of the Leningrad Region and performs the powers at meetings, adopting regulatory legal acts of the Leningrad Region. The competence of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region is defined by the Charter of the Leningrad Region. The order of activity, the rule and the procedure of work of regional parliament are set by Regulations of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region.

The first elections of deputies of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region took place on March 20, 1994.

As a part of Legislative assembly of the first convocation there were 25 deputies, from them 24 men and one woman. Among them there are heads of executive power; heads of the enterprises of the industry, transport, banks; directors of the enterprises of agro-industrial complex; workers of the social sphere; heads of mass media. All deputies had the higher education and considerable experience of business and political activities. Average age of deputies of the first convocation - 45 years.

On June 14, 1994 Vasily Vasilyevich Ivanov was elected the chairman of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region of the first convocation, and his deputy on April 2, 1996 elected Georgy Grigoryevich Samsonenko.

The legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region of the first convocation worked during formation of a new system of public authorities and local government, in the conditions of an acute social and economic crisis. The meeting saw the main task in the publication of the laws defining the state, economic, social, public and cultural life of the Leningrad Region.

During work of the first convocation by deputies of Legislative assembly the main regional law - the Charter of the Leningrad Region is adopted.

The decision of deputies on increase in structure of Legislative assembly up to 50 people became an important stage in development of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region. It was necessary for formation of wider representation of voters of the Leningrad Region and gave the chance to perform more fruitful legislative activity.

On December 14, 1997 in the Leningrad Region according to the regional law "About Elections of Deputies of Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region" elections of deputies of Legislative assembly of the second convocation on 50 constituencies took place.

As a part of deputies of Legislative assembly of the second convocation there were 50 people, from them 49 men and one woman. 96% of deputies had the higher education, 8 people - academic degrees, all had considerable experience of business and political activities. Average age of deputies of the second convocation was already a little higher - 48 years.

At the first meeting of deputies of the second convocation on January 13, 1998 Vitaly Nikolaevich Klimov was elected the Chairman of Legislative assembly, his deputies - Vadim Nikolaevich Morozov, Georgy Grigoryevich Samsonenko and Sergey Yuryevich Semyonov. Afterwards, on February 2, 1999, Vadim Nikolaevich Morozov from a duty of the vice-chairman of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region was released by Yury Mikhaylovich Strakhov.

On December 16, 2001 there took place elections of deputies of Legislative assembly of the third convocation.

From 50 elected parliamentarians 30 were deputies of Legislative assembly of the second convocation. In the third convocation the ratio of men and women as a part of deputy corps changed: in Legislative assembly 47 men and three women were elected, and since October, 2003 until the end of convocation in regional parliament four female deputies worked already.

The first meeting of the third convocation took place on January 15, 2002, this day deputies approved structure of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region and again elected the Chairman of Legislative assembly of Vitaly Nikolaevich Klimov. Sergey Yuryevich Semyonov and Valentina Pavlovna Krasilnikova became his deputies. On April 22, 2003 deputies voted for early termination of powers of the Chairman of Legislative assembly - Vitaly Nikolaevich Klimov. On May 20, 2003 Kirill Valentinovich Polyakov was elected to a post of the Chairman of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region. Sergey Yuryevich Semyonov and Andrey Vitalyevich Nelidov became his deputies. In March, 2006 Andrey Vitalyevich Nelidov from a duty of the vice-chairman of a meeting was released by Pavel Alekseyevich Stepanov.

Development of political system of Russia found the reflection in structure of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region. In April, 2002 regional legislators approved new edition of Regulations of a meeting in which provided a possibility of formation of fractions as a part of representative body, and in June, 2002 in Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region the first fractions were created. For last years distribution of deputies by fractions repeatedly changed, formation of non-political fractions became distinctive feature of the first period of fractional construction in Legislative assembly. However in 2004 the last non-political fraction in Legislative assembly announced self-dissolution. Now in regional parliament 4 fractions are registered: UNITED RUSSIA, JUST RUSSIA, CPRF and LDPR.

Elections of deputies of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region of the fourth convocation which took place on March 11, 2007 for the first time took place on the mixed system - 25 people were elected according to party lists, 25 - on single-candidate districts.

From 50 elects of 15 people - deputies of the third convocation, 9 - the female deputy, and since October, 2010 until the end of convocation in regional parliament worked 10 women. Thus, the representation of women with each deputy convocation gradually increases. 49 of fifty elected deputies had higher education.

On March 21, 2007 deputies of the fourth convocation held the first parliamentary meeting at which they elected the Chairman of Legislative assembly of Ivan Filippovich Habarov. Herman Vladimirovich Mozgovoy and Sergey Mikhaylovich Bebenin became his deputies.

The number of the deputy commissions in the fourth convocation remained the same - 13, however distribution of functions between the commissions and their names in many respects underwent changes.

On December 4, 2011 there took place elections of deputies of Legislative assembly of the fifth convocation, on the mixed system again.

From 50 elected parliamentarians 26 were deputies of Legislative assembly of the fourth convocation. Among them there are 43 men and 7 women. 98% of deputies have higher education, 14 people - academic degrees. Average age of deputies of the fifth convocation - 51.5 years.

At the first parliamentary meeting which took place on December 15, 2011 the Chairman of Legislative assembly Alexander Petrovich Hudilaynen was elected, Andrey Yuryevich Molchanov became the member of the Federation Council of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation - the representative of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region. On December 21 during the third and fourth meetings Sergey Mikhaylovich Bebenin is elected the vice-chairman of Legislative assembly, the members and chairmen of the permanent commissions are also approved. On April 26, 2012 changes are made to structure and the scheme of the organization of activity of regional parliament according to which one position of the vice-chairman of Legislative assembly is approved and also four positions of vice speakers - chairmen of the permanent commissions are entered in addition.

In June, 2012 Alexander Petrovich Hudilaynen approved as the Governor of Karelia with positions of the Chairman of Legislative Assembly was replaced by Sergey Mikhaylovich Bebenin. Also during a spring session are nominated four vice speakers from each fraction who are at the same time chairmen of the permanent commissions, them became: Vadim Anatolyevich Gustov (UNITED RUSSIA), Nikolay Alekseyevich Kuzmin (CPRF), Galina Vasilyevna Kulikova (JUST RUSSIA) and Yury Ivanovich Oleynik (LDPR). On September 19, 2012 Alexey Bronislavovich Belous was elected to a post of the vice-chairman of Legislative assembly.

The deputy corps of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region managed to complete the work on creation of legal mechanisms of creation and activity of public authorities and local government. The block of the laws concerning local government adopted by Legislative assembly created the legal framework for reforming of local government authorities in the Leningrad Region.

For more constructive and weighed approach to problem solving not only area in general, but also each certain municipal entity, regional legislators actively interact with local representative bodies, involving them in legislative process, providing advice. At the initiative of deputy corps in 1998 at Legislative assembly Council of representative bodies of municipal entities is created. Members of council take the most active part in development of the most important bills, the solution of the most burning issues in municipal entities. For the purpose of rendering the advisory help and increase in legal culture of local government authorities at Legislative assembly classes of Municipal school with the invitation of specialists and training of representatives of municipal authorities are.

Creation of the legislative environment in the social and economic sphere, first of all establishment of accurate precepts of law in the budget and tax relations became one of important activities of Legislative assembly. Laws on the regional budget of the Leningrad Region for the next year were carefully studied and were timely adopted. The laws regulating budget process, investment activities, the principles of management and control of state of the economy of area are developed and approved.

The legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region is an active member of Parliamentary Association of the Northwest of Russia which includes 11 territorial subjects of the Russian Federation. This advisory advisory body is created in November, 1994 at a constituent conference on an initiative of the Vologda Regional Legislative Assembly for development of the approved approaches to implementation of legislative activity. Traditionally based on Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region the standing committee on economic policy and budgetary questions of Association headed by the representative of Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region performs the activity. In June, 2010 the solution of the Conference of Parliamentary Association created standing committee concerning agro-industrial complex which curator also appoints Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region. On November 1, 2012 in Syktyvkar the speaker of regional parliament Sergey Mikhaylovich Bebenin is elected to Conferences the vice-chairman of PASZR, and in November, 2014 S.M. Bebenin headed Parliamentary Association.

Strategic objective of activity in PASZR - development of the approved approaches to ensuring the rights and legitimate interests of the citizens of the Northwest of Russia and to problem solving who are of the general interest to all subjects of the Northwestern Federal District. Besides, the Chairman of Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region Sergey Bebenin directs the commission on questions of economic and industrial policy of Board of Legislators of the Russian Federation at Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Today regional parliamentarians pay much attention to development of the international and interregional relations. Since 1999 the Legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region signed more than two tens agreements on cooperation with representative bodies of territorial subjects of the Russian Federation and foreign parliaments.

One of the most convincing proofs of high authority of Legislative assembly in the Leningrad Region was the fact that many deputies were elected in a meeting repeatedly, including 26 deputies of the fourth convocation became deputies in the fifth convocation. Also as a result of December elections of 2011 to regional parliament three members of the Federation Council and one deputy of the State Duma of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the head of municipalities and the head of administrations of municipal entities of the region were elected. One deputy of the fourth convocation is elected the deputy of the State Duma of the sixth convocation, one more passed into industry committee of the regional government. Many deputies of Legislative assembly held afterwards high positions in federal executive authorities and executive authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation, a post of the Chief federal inspector on the Leningrad Region, two became members of the Federation Council of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

Last years with all evidence showed that real formation of legislative (representative) public authority of the Leningrad Region in the conditions of operation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 took place. The legislative assembly of the Leningrad Region already has the democratic traditions, the serious legislation is created, but still a lot of things should be made for the benefit of the Leningrad Region.