Institutional Analysis of the Russian Electoral System

Abstract

The purpose of this article is an institutional analysis of the factors that hinder the institutionalization of elections in contemporary Russia. Theoretical basis of the study are the behaviorism theory considered in the context of elections, as well as the theory of formal and informal institutions. The framework for the analysis of the electoral system of the Russian Federation was formed on the basis of these theories. The theories of behaviorism and formal and informal institutions make it possible to divide elections into constituents, which together with the analysis of changes in electoral legislation and the study of the actions of government agencies solves the key research issue of this paper. On the basis of theoretical analysis, a number of conclusions were drawn about theelectoral system in the Russian Federation as an institution of political life. In particular, the factors preventing the development of elections as one of the fundamental components of the democratic way of life in the state were highlighted. These include: the existing social conformism in society regarding the electoral process; considering elections as a way of fighting between competing political actors and parties rather than as a democratic mechanism to express the interests of the people; relatively frequent changes in the legislation governing elections, especially when these changes are not accompanied by additional measures aimed at conveying the motives of government actions to citizens; manipulation of elections, which is possible thanks to the fact that they are not accompanied by additional measures. The study shows that these factors increase the tendencies to absentism, strengthen the role of incubator, but reduce the institutional capacity of elections.