Text 5 Elections in Russia

On the federal level, Russia elects a president as head of state and a legislature, one of the two chambers of the Federal Assembly. The president is elected for at most two six-year terms by the people. The Federal Assembly has two chambers. The State Duma has 450 members, elected for five-year term, all of them by proportional representation. The unelected Federation Council has one hundred seventy eight members: 2 delegates for each region. Since the fall of the USSR, there have been five elections for the presidency and five for parliament.

In the five presidential elections, only once, in 1996, has a second round been needed. There have been three presidents, with Boris Yeltsin elected in 1991 and 1996, Vladimir Putin in 2000 and 2004 and Dmitry Medvedev in 2008.

In the parliamentary elections, the Communist Party was the biggest party in the 1995 and 1999 elections, with 35% and 24% of the votes respectively. The Liberal Democratic Party of Russia has ranged from 5 to 15% of the votes, and Yabloko won 10% of the votes in 1995 and around 5% in the other three elections. The only other parties that have achieved more than 10% of the votes have been Russia's Choice with 16% in 1993, Our Home is Russia with 12% in 1995, and, in 1999, Unity Party of Russia with 23%, Fatherland-All Russia with 13% and People's Deputies Faction with 15%. United Russia, an alliance of Unity Party of Russia and Fatherland – All Russia, became the biggest party with 38% in 2003.

Task 1. Give Russian equivalents.

Federal level, to elect, representation, council, party, vote, to achieve, an alliance.

Task 2. Choose 3 words from the list above and make up 3 sentences with them.

Find English equivalent in the text:

1. Президент избирается гражданами каждые 6 лет.

2. Невыборный Совет Федерации состоит из 178 человек: по два делегата от каждого региона.

3. Среди пяти выборов только однажды в 1996 потребовался второй раунд выборов.

Task 4. Make a written translation of the last passage.

Make a table comparing 3 political systems: the UK, the USA and Russia.

Country	The UK	The USA	Russia
Branches of power
The Head of State and his functions
Parties
Elections

Project:

Divide into groups. Make up a project concerned with ideal political system.

Module 3

Words and phrases for the topic:

Legislation

The report stage

Amendment

Persistant disagreement

To prevail

Reigning monarch

Assent

Consent

To refer

Standing committee

Draft law

Read the following text and say how many stages a bill passes to be adopted .

Lawmaking Process in Britain

New legislation in Britain usually starts in the House of Lords. In each house a bill is considered in three stages, called readings. The first reading is purely formal to introduce the bill. The second reading is usually the occasion for debate. After the second reading the bill is examined in detail by a committee.

The bill is then returned to one of the houses for the report stage, when it can be amended. If passed after its third reading, it goes to the other house. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be considered by the Commons. If the House of Commons does not agree, the bill is altered and sent back to the Lords. In the event of persistent disagreement between the two houses, Commons prevails.

Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for the royal assent. Nowadays the royal assent is merely a formality. In theory the queen could still refuse her consent, but the last monarch to use this power was Queen Anne, who vetoed the unpopular Scottish Militia Bill in 1707.

1. Give English equivalents of the following:

Законопроект; палата Лордов; палата общин; первое чтение; детально изучается; поправки; несогласие; правящий монарх; королевское согласие.

2. Give Russian equivalents of the following:

A bill is considered in three stages; purely formal; the occasion for debate; the report stage; it can be amended; Commons prevail; merely a formality.

3. Match two parts of the sentences in 2 columns:

1.New legislation in Britain

2.In each house a bill

3.The first reading.

4.The second reading

5.After the second reading the bill

5.The report stage

6.Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords

7.Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch

8.The royal assent

1. must be considered by the Commons.

2. is for introducing the bill.

3. is considered in three stages.

4. is merely a formality

5. is examined in detail by a committee.

6. is for making amendments.

7. starts in the House of Lords.

8. is the occasion for debate.

9. for the royal assent.

4. New legislation in Britain starts …..

A bill is considered …..

The first reading is

The second reading is ….

After the second reading the bill ….

The bill is then returned to ….

Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords ….

Finally, the bill goes to the reigning monarch …..

5. Are the statements right or wrong?

1. New legislation in Britain starts in the House of Commons.

2. In each house a bill is considered in five stages.

3. The first reading is the most important.

   1. The first reading is for making amendments.

4. The second reading is the occasion for introducing the bill.

5. After the second reading the bill is examined in detail by the reigning monarch .

6. The bill is then returned to one of the houses for the report stage, when it can be amended. Amendments made to a bill by the House of Lords must be considered by the Commons.

7. First, the bill goes to the reigning monarch for a detailed examination..

8. The royal assent is merely a formality.

6. Where does new legislation in Britain start in?

How many stages is a bill considered in?

What is the first reading for?

What is the second reading for?

How is the bill examined after the second reading?

When can amendments be made?

Where does the bill go finally?