How far regional referendum is necessary for Russia today?

Abstract

Pluses and minuses of Russian practice of conducting public referendum on regional level are assessed in the article. It is noted that referendum, being one of the highest forms of the direct expression of the people's power, obtains great possibilities for the solution of contradictions between different branches of the state power. At the same time the author points out that realization of a referendum in Russia is connected with overcoming of a number of difficulties connected with the solution of organizational tasks, with the necessity of competent and juridically verified formulation of referendum questions, and with prevention of transformation of a referendum into a mechanism of manipulation with public opinion, which can be used by politicians for their own aims.