In 1992 - shortly after the Soviet Union broke up - Russia established a transitional (temporary) government headed by Boris N. Yeltsin. Yeltsin had been elected president of the R.S.F.S.R. in 1991. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Yeltsin continued to serve as president of Russia. In December 1993, Russia adopted a new constitution that established a permanent government.

The president of Russia is the government's chief executive, head of state, and most powerful official. The president is elected by the people to serve a four-year term.

The president, with the approval of the lower house of parliament, appoints a prime minister to serve as head of government. The prime minister is the top-ranking official of a Council of Ministers (cabinet). The council carries out the operations of the government.

Russia's parliament, which is called the Federal Assembly, consists of a 450-member lower house known as the State Duma and a 178-member upper house called the Federation Council. The State Duma makes the country's laws. The Duma's proposed legislation must be approved by the Federation Council and by the president before becoming law. However, the State Duma can override a veto by the Federation Council and send legislation directly to the president. The Federation Council approves government appointments and such presidential actions as the declaration of martial law and the use of armed forces outside of Russia.

Members of the State Duma are elected by the people to four-year terms. Members of the Federation Council are local government officials. These members include regional governors and leaders of local legislatures. They are not elected directly to the council but gain membership when they attain the local office. All Russian citizens 18 years of age and older may vote in the country's elections.

Local government. Russia contains 49 administrative units called oblasts (regions) and 6 large, sparsely settled krais (territories). Russia also has about 30 other territories, each of which has a dominant nationality group. These territories are known as autonomous republics and autonomous areas. There is also one autonomous region. Autonomous means self-governing, but these units actually had little control over their own affairs in the Soviet Union. The future of the autonomous units is unclear, because some of their populations are pressing for increased self-rule. All of these divisions may contain smaller units called raions (districts). Soviets (councils) manage local affairs in both urban and rural areas.