Prime Minister of Russia

Prime Minister Vladimir Kokovtsov reading a government report in the State Duma. December 5, 1912

In general, the Prime Minister serves more of an administrative role, nominating members of the Cabinet and taking the lead in fully implementing domestic and foreign policy as formulated by the President. In accordance with the federal constitutional law "On the Government of the Russian Federation" the Prime Minister exercises the following duties:

• determines the operating priorities of the Government and organizes its work in accordance with the Constitution, federal constitutional laws, federal laws and Presidential decrees, aside from running the day-to-day affairs of the government, in general.
• submits to the President proposals on the structure and functions of the central institutions of the executive branch (e.g. ministries and federal agencies);[7]
• nominates the Vice Prime Ministers, Federal Ministers and other officers and presents them to the President;
• submits to the President proposals on punishment and rewards of the Government members;
• represents the Government as an institution in foreign relations and inside the country;
• heads the sessions of the Government and its Presidium where he has the decisive vote;
• signs the acts of the Government;
• report annually to the State Duma about the Government activities;
• distributes duties among members of the Government;
• systematically informs the President about the Government activities;

The Prime Minister is ex officio a member of:

• The Security Council of the Russian Federation;
• The Council of the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth of Independent States;
• The Supreme State Council of the Union State of Russia and Belarus;
• The Council of the Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization;
• The Interstate Council of the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC);

Medvedev at his confirmation hearing on 8 May 2018

Initially, the Prime Minister was appointed by the Emperor of Russia, without the consent of the candidate to the State Duma.

In Soviet times, Prime Minister of the Russian SFSR was appointed by the Supreme Council after each election.[8][9]

Currently Prime Minister is appointed by the President of Russia, subject to the consent of the State Duma (before 1993 the Supreme Soviet). Unlike most other "Prime Ministers", who are also elected members of the legislative body or parliament, the Chairman of the Government of Russia can be any Russian citizen, as long as they do not also hold citizenship of another country.

Under law, the President shall nominate a new Chairman of the Government within two weeks of the resignation of a previous government or inauguration ceremony of President. The State Duma is to discuss the matter within two weeks of the nomination and make a decision. The procedure of granting consent by the parliament is usually preceded by several days of comprehensive consultations and interviews of the candidate by the parliamentary factions. Should the State Duma decide to give the President its approval, the President may immediately sign the respective appointment decree. Should the State Duma refuse to give its approval, the President will have to nominate another (or the same) candidate within one week of the rejection of the previous candidate.[10]

Should the State Duma reject candidates nominated by the President for three times consecutively, the President shall dissolve it and call a new election, while the Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President without participation of the Duma. The State Duma may not be dissolved on these grounds during the first year after parliamentary elections, the last six months of the incumbent President's term, as well as in time of emergency, or war and in the event that the State Duma has initiated the impeachment of the incumbent President.

Other members of the Russian Government are appointed and dismissed by the President upon recommendation of the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister may be dismissed by the President at any time at the President's discretion. The Prime Minister may also tender his resignation to the President on his own initiative. The President may reject such resignation and oblige him to continue working. The Prime Minister and the whole government are constitutionally obliged to resign after the inauguration of a newly elected President. The resignation of the Prime Minister automatically means the resignation of the whole government as a body.

Under certain circumstances, the President may also theoretically be forced to dismiss the Chairman and the whole government under the pressure of the State Duma. For that to happen, the State Duma has to pass a censure motion against the Government twice within three months. Normally, in this case the President has the right to choose whether to sack the government or to dissolve the Duma (and if the Duma passes the censure motion just once, the President may also choose "not to agree" with the decision of the Duma, which technically means that neither the cabinet nor the Duma are dismissed).

However, within one year after parliamentary elections the dissolution of the Duma is impossible on these grounds. That is why in this case the President does not have any other option but to dismiss the Government (even if he totally supports it). However, the President is theoretically free to appoint the very same person as an acting head of the cabinet for an indefinite period of time should finding a compromise with the parliament turn out to be impossible.

Initially the term of office of the Prime Minister was not formally established. The head of the government served in his post for as long as the Emperor thought necessary.

In Soviet times, the term of the Prime Minister was also unlimited. The Chairman Council of Ministers of the Russian SFSR served in the position until he was dismissed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

A term limit was introduced after the creation of the post of the President of Russia. Government became subordinate to the President, so the Prime Minister must resign along with the President, but may be appointed again. From 1991 to 1996, the maximum term of office of the Prime Minister was 5 years. After the new Constitution of Russia was created, the term of office of the President, and therefore the term of office of the Prime Minister, was shortened to 4 years. In 2012, after amendments to the Constitution the term of the President and Prime Minister was increased to 6 years.

Russian law does not specify who should become acting Prime Minister in case of his incapacity. Despite the presence of several Vice Prime Ministers, the President appoints the acting Prime Minister, and not always the acting Head of Government is his Deputy. Very often, the acting Prime Minister later proposed the State Duma as the new Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin became Acting President after the resignation of Boris Yeltsin

In case of the President's death, resignation or impeachment, the Prime Minister becomes a temporary president until new presidential elections which must take place within three months. The Prime Minister as Acting President may not dissolve the State Duma, announce a referendum or propose amendments to the Constitution.

The Chairman of the Federation Council is the third important position after the President and the Prime Minister. In the case of incapacity of the President and Prime Minister, the chairman of the upper house of parliament becomes acting head of state.[17][18]

Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin (centre) with former Prime Ministers Dmitry Medvedev (left) and Vladimir Putin (right)

As of April 2020, there are eight living former Prime Ministers. The most recent death of a former Prime Minister was that of Yevgeny Primakov (1998–1999) on 26 June 2015, aged 85.

• 
  Ivan Silayev
  served 1990–1991
  Born (1930-10-21) 21 October 1930
• 
  Sergey Kiriyenko
  served 1998
  Born (1962-07-26) 26 July 1962
• 
  Sergei Stepashin
  served 1999
  Born (1952-03-02) 2 March 1952
• 
  Vladimir Putin
  served 1999–2000 and 2008–2012
  Born (1952-10-07) 7 October 1952
• 
  Mikhail Kasyanov
  served 2000–2004
  Born (1957-12-08) 8 December 1957
• 
  Mikhail Fradkov
  served 2004–2007
  Born (1950-09-01) 1 September 1950
• 
  Viktor Zubkov
  served 2007–2008
  Born (1941-09-15) 15 September 1941
• 
  Dmitry Medvedev
  served 2012–2020
  Born (1965-09-14) 14 September 1965

• Official Website of the Prime Minister of Russia (in Russian)
• Official Site of the Government of Russia (in Russian)