United Russia will hold 600 educational events for the 30th anniversary of the Constitution

On October 4, United Russia members will discuss the launch of a project dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the Constitution of the Russian Federation. It will be celebrated on December 12, 2023. Three decades ago, the dispersal of the Congress of People’s Deputies and the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation ended the active phase of the crisis that had been developing since September 21, 1993. During these days, 158 people died in the capital, 423 were injured. The adoption of the new Constitution of the Russian Federation on December 12, 1993 put an end to the political crisis in the country.

The Constitution of the Russian Federation, despite the approaching 30th anniversary, is a very lively, young and progressive document that will be in force for many, many years, says the first deputy head of the United Russia faction in the State Duma, Dmitry Vyatkin. “Today we met with law students in Chelyabinsk. The children were not yet born when the Constitution was adopted, so it is very important to tell them everything. This is truly valuable to us. Not only for lawyers, but for all citizens,” he told Vedomosti.

One of the themes of the party project will be the development of the system, including changes related to amendments to the Constitution in 2020. According to the interlocutor in the party, in total about 600 events of various formats are planned throughout the country: quizzes, intellectual games, exhibitions, excursion series, public events, etc. As part of the project, an online competition will be held “30 years of the Russian Constitution – test yourself!” for citizens over 18. This is a test of 10 questions with multiple choice answers.

For example, citizens will be asked how many federal cities there are in the Russian Federation (in 1993 there were two – Moscow and St. Petersburg, and in 2014 Sevastopol was added. – Vedomosti), what form of government is in the country (correct answer according to the Constitution – republican. – “Vedomosti”), etc. The 10 winners who score the most points in the shortest time are promised valuable prizes. All those who passed the test will receive electronic certificates of completion with a personal result to the email address specified when registering on the competition website.

United Russia also intends to organize a series of “Conversations about Important Things” for schoolchildren in grades 10–11 and lectures for university students on the topic of the Constitution of the Russian Federation with the participation of deputies of all levels and senators, governors, secretaries of regional party branches and lawyers.

An interlocutor in the party notes that this is not only a tribute to the Basic Law of the country, but also a test of the mobilization base just before the start of the federal election campaign.

Political scientist Konstantin Kostin believes that holding events for the 30th anniversary of the Constitution is “a good opportunity to test the effectiveness of the regional branches” of the party, this is the technological aspect of the project. The ideological aspect is that the 2020 constitutional amendments were proposed by Vladimir Putin and United Russia played an active role in the discussion and campaign: “This is a good opportunity to position the party.”

But these are unlikely to be key events of the election campaign, says political scientist Mikhail Vinogradov: “The topic can hardly be called resonant.” According to a VTsIOM survey conducted on the eve of December 12, 2022, 54% of Russians are convinced that the Constitution is the fundamental law on which not only all other laws, but also the way we live depend. Since 1991, this figure has increased by 13%.

The Communist Party of the Russian Federation these days is celebrating the “execution of the Soviet Constitution,” said Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Sergei Obukhov.

Maxim Ivanov participated in the preparation of the material