MOSCOW, October 31. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has submitted to the State Duma (the lower house of Russia’s parliament) a bill on forming the Federation Council (the upper house), which envisages a presidential prerogative to appoint lifelong senators and introduces a procedure for ex-Russian presidents to receive the status, the State Duma posted the information in its digital base on Saturday.
"Today, the president submitted another package of bills to the State Duma with the aim to implement to amended provisions of the constitution," Chairman of the Committee on State Building and Legislation Pavel Krasheninnikov said.
According to the member of parliament, "a new edition of the law on the procedure of formation of the Federation Council has been drafted along with amendments to the Law "On the Status of a Member of the Federation Council and the Status of a Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation."
The press service of the Committee on State Building and Legislation said that besides representatives from the legislative and executive branches of power of a subject of the Russian Federation, former Russian presidents are to enter the Federation Council, becoming lifelong senators, along with "no more than 30 representatives of the Russian Federation, who are appointed by president, and of whom no more than seven may be appointed for life."
Appointment procedure
The bill says that senators - representatives of the Russian Federation - are appointed for six years or for life by presidential decrees. The head of state can appoint no more than seven lifetime senators. The appointment of senators is a presidential prerogative, but not a duty, so the president can use it at any time.
Under the Russian Constitution, the citizens with outstanding merits in their state and public services to the country could be appointed lifetime members of the Federation Council. The submitted bill contains the same provision.
The requirements for former presidents are envisaged in a separate clause. A Russian president, who has ended their tenure after a presidential term has expired or in advance, will acquire the status of a senator since the moment of sending an application, with all the required documents attached, to the Federation Council. The application may be submitted once within three months after the president leaves office. Along with this, the president whose tenure has ended before the given bill is adopted may file this application within three months since the day the law enters into force.
Requirements
Under the bill, a citizen of the Russian Federation aged over 30 with an impeccable reputation, who permanently resides in Russia, who has no citizenship of a foreign state or residence permit or any other document substantiating their right to permanent residence in a foreign state can become a member of the Federation Council.
Persons with convictions for medium offences will not be eligible for this position. The current law refers only to serious or extremely serious crimes.