The Presidential Library spotlights the history of the adoption of the Constitution of Russia

December 12 is an important public holiday in our country - the Constitution Day of the Russian Federation. On this day in 1993, the basic law of the country was adopted by popular vote. The Presidential Library’s portal features the collection Constitution - Basic Law.

A separate section of the collection is dedicated to the history of the development and adoption of the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation. The section provides the atmosphere in which the work on the project was going on. It also includes the monumental 6-volume work of the Secretary of the Constitutional Commission (1990–1993) Oleg Rumyantsev The History of the Creation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. Constitutional Commission: Transcripts, Materials, Documents (1990–1993).

“Without a deep and comprehensive study of the history of the creation of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, all the circumstances that accompanied this process, the development of constitutional legal consciousness is impossible”, - the author notes in the introductory article to the publication (2007) About the Work of the Constitutional Commission (1990–1993).

The preparation of the Constitution of Russia was the result of a long public discussion. The program for the transition to a new constitutional system was outlined by the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the RSFSR adopted by the Congress of People's Deputies on June 12, 1990. The drafting of the Constitution began in the Constitutional Commission.

In 1991-1992 the provisions of the project were agreed with all political forces.

In the spring of 1993, the Constitutional Conference was convened, which from May to August was engaged in combining the provisions of the draft Constitution, developed by the Constitutional Commission, and the draft proposed by the President of the Russian Federation.

The discussions that sometimes flared up about even individual words in the texts of the drafts are reflected in the 20 volumes of the collection of verbatim records of the Constitutional Conference Constitutional Conference, April 29 - November 10, 1993: transcripts, materials, documents available on the Presidential Library’s portal (1995).

By mid-July 1993, the parliamentary (Constitutional Commission) and presidential (Constitutional Conference) parties each had their own official draft of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, which were made public. Despite the fact that the finalization of both projects led to their convergence, it was necessary to develop a single agreed project. The Supreme Soviet of the Russian Federation proposed to the Constitutional Commission to finalize its draft, the provisions of which had already been approved by the Sixth Congress of People's Deputies, but to do this taking into account the presidential draft of the Constitution.

At the final stage, from October 11 to November 8, the draft Constitution was finalized in the Presidential Administration under the personal control and with the direct participation of the President of Russia. The Presidential Library’s portal features electronic copy of the original draft of the Constitution of the Russian Federation with amendments by Boris Yeltsin, signed by him on November 8, 1993. On December 12, 1993 a nationwide vote on the Constitution of the Russian Federation was held. The Central Election Commission of Russia recognized that the Constitution was adopted.

“The adoption of the new Constitution of the Russian Federation drew a line under the era of political and constitutional reform that began in 1989-1990. ...Created from scratch in 1990, the draft Constitution went through all conceivable and unimaginable trials ... and, in spite of everything, was brought to its logical end - the formal approval of the new Constitution of the Russian Federation”, - said Oleg Rumyantsev.

The Presidential Library’s portal presents the film The Right to the Constitution, which tells about the Basic Law of 1993 and previous constitutional drafts.

One of the interactive projects of the Presidential Library - a 3D tour - makes it possible to virtually visit the Constitution Hall located in the building of the institution. The exposition tells about the constitutions of Russia of the 20th century, about the stages of creation and adoption of the Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993. Printed publications, historical documents, including those with corrections and notes by the highest official of the country, digitized signature lists that the heads of state filled out after taking the oath, photographs and newsreels and other materials related to the institution of the presidency and state symbols of Russia are presented. The main exhibit of the exhibition is a copy of the inaugural copy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, donated by the head of state on the opening day of the Presidential Library on May 27, 2009.

In addition, thanks to the video tour, one has an opportunity to visit the exhibition The History of Constitutionalism in Russia: Projects and Constitutions of the 18th–20th Centuries, which tells about the development of legislation in our country and the first attempts to create a document that defines the main duties and rights of citizens.

The current Constitution of the Russian Federation of 1993 with the amendments approved during the all-Russian vote on July 1, 2020 is publicly available on the Presidential Library’s portal.

Details about the Constitution of Russia, its history and structure are spotlighted in the section On This Day on the institution’s portal.