Federation Council (Russia) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Federation Council Совет Федерации (Sovet Federatsii) or Federation Soviet
Federal Assembly of Russia
Type
Type	Upper house
History
Founded	1993
Preceded by	Soviet of Nationalities (1991)
Leadership
Chairwoman	Valentina Matviyenko Since 21 September 2011
First Deputy Chairman	Andrey Turchak Since 23 September 2020
	Andrey Yatskin Since 23 September 2020
Structure
Seats	170
Political groups	Formed and structured on a non-partisan basis
Elections
Voting system	Chosen by regional authorities (170 senators) Appointed by the President of Russia (max 30 senators) Former Presidents (ex officio)
Last election	12 December 1993
Next election	None
Meeting place
26 Bol'shaya Dmitrovka, Moscow
Website
www.council.gov.ru

Federation Council Building in 2017

The Federation Council (which means Sovet Federatsii in Russian) is like the "upper house" of Russia's parliament. It's part of the Federal Assembly of Russia, which is the country's main law-making body. This council was created in 1993, following the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

What is the Federation Council?

The Federation Council is one of two parts of the Russian parliament. Think of it like a two-story building for making laws. The Federation Council is the "top floor" or "upper house." Its main job is to represent the different regions of Russia.

Who are the Members?

The Federation Council has 170 members. They are often called "senators."

• Each of Russia's 85 regions sends two representatives.
• One representative is chosen by the region's main government.
• The other is chosen by the region's local parliament.
• The President of Russia can also appoint up to 30 more senators.
• Former presidents of Russia can also become senators for life.

The members of the Federation Council do not belong to political parties in the same way members of other parliaments might. They are supposed to represent their regions.

What Does the Federation Council Do?

The Federation Council has several important jobs in Russia's government:

• Approving Laws: After the "lower house" (called the State Duma) passes a law, the Federation Council must approve it. If they don't agree, they can send it back for changes.
• Approving Appointments: They approve the President's choices for important judges and other high-ranking officials.
• Declaring War: They have the power to approve the President's decision to use the Russian armed forces outside the country.
• Changing Borders: They approve any changes to the borders between Russia's regions.
• Calling Elections: They set the date for the presidential elections.

The Federation Council works to make sure that laws are fair for all parts of Russia. They meet in Moscow to discuss and vote on important issues.

Images for kids

• 

  President Vladimir Putin in the Federation Council. May 21, 2002.

• 

  President Boris Yeltsin was important in creating the Federation Council in 1993.

• 

  A group from the United States Congress visiting Russia's Federation Council in 2018.

• 

  Valentina Matviyenko is the current Chairwoman of the Federation Council.

See also

In Spanish: Consejo de la Federación para niños