Vladimir Putin’s inauguration marked the start of a policy drive to strengthen federal control over Russia’s regions and standardize enforcement of federal law—an agenda soon operationalized through new oversight institutions.
A presidential decree created seven federal districts as a new macro-level framework grouping Russia’s federal subjects, designed to improve oversight and compliance with federal law through presidential representatives.
Appointments of presidential plenipotentiary representatives (envoys) to the new federal districts were announced, providing a direct mechanism for the Kremlin to supervise federal agencies and legal compliance in the regions.
The State Duma advanced a centralization package expanding federal leverage over regional authorities, including measures enabling stronger federal intervention against regional leaders and legislatures that violate federal law.
A federal law restructured the Federation Council by replacing governors and regional legislative heads serving ex officio with designated representatives, weakening regional executives’ direct role in federal lawmaking.
A presidential decree established the State Council as an advisory body including regional heads—widely understood as a new channel for center–region consultation after governors began losing their seats in the Federation Council.
The Federation Council reform set a timetable under which current upper-house members were to serve out terms or vacate seats by January 1, 2002, completing the shift to appointed/selected regional representatives.
Federal Law No. 131-FZ (“On General Principles of Organization of Local Self-Government”) was signed, standardizing municipal structures and responsibilities nationwide, with major provisions scheduled to take effect later.
Following major terrorist attacks in 2004, Putin submitted legislation to alter how regional leaders are chosen—shifting from direct elections to a system in which the president proposes candidates for regional legislatures to confirm.
The reform bill was adopted by the State Duma (final reading) and approved by the Federation Council, clearing the way for nationwide replacement of direct gubernatorial elections with presidential nomination and regional legislative confirmation.
Putin signed the law eliminating direct elections for regional heads, giving the president power to nominate regional leaders; if a legislature rejected nominees twice, the president could dissolve it and appoint an acting head.
Under the 2003 local self-government framework (131-FZ), broad implementation was scheduled to begin at the start of 2006, reflecting a phased transition to the new standardized municipal system.
Reforms of Regional Governance and Establishment of Federal Districts (2000–2005)
