6th State Duma Of the seven parties participating in the elections, only four were able to overcome the 7% election threshold to gain representation based upon the proportional representation system. On December 21, 2011, the parliament elected Sergey Naryshkin from the United Russia as the Chairman of the State Duma. At the same time, according to tradition, until the election of the Chairman of the State Duma, the meeting carried the oldest members of the State Duma – 87-year-old Vladimir Dolgikh (from United Russia) and 81-year-old Zhores Alferov (from Communist Party). On December 21, 2011, the State Duma approved the composition of its
State Duma (Russian Empire) October 1917. Coming under pressure from the Russian Revolution of 1905, on August 6, 1905 (O.S.), Sergei Witte (appointed by Nicholas II to manage peace negotiations with Japan after the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905) issued a manifesto about the convocation of the Duma, initially thought to be a purely advisory body, the so-called Bulygin-Duma. In the subsequent October Manifesto, the Tsar promised to introduce further civil liberties, provide for broad participation in a new "State Duma", and endow the Duma with legislative and oversight powers. The State Duma was to be the lower house of a parliament, and the State