Duma Duma A duma (дума) was a Russian assembly with advisory or legislative functions. The term comes from the Russian verb думать ("dumat’") meaning "to think" or "to consider". The first formally constituted duma was the State Duma introduced into the Russian Empire by Tsar Nicholas II in 1905. The Tsar dismissed the first duma within 75 days and re-elected second duma within three months. It was dissolved in 1917 during the Russian Revolution. Since 1993, the State Duma is the lower legislative house of the Russian Federation. Historians use the term "Boyar Duma" to denote the council of boyars and
Duma civil liberties, provide for broad participation in the State Duma, and endow the Duma with legislative and oversight powers. However, Nicholas II was determined to retain his autocratic power. Just before the creation of the Duma in May 1906, the Tsar issued the Fundamental Laws. It stated in part that the tsar's ministers could not be appointed by, and were not responsible to, the Duma, thus denying responsible government at the executive level. Furthermore, the tsar had the power to dismiss the Duma and announce new elections whenever he wished. At this first meeting of the Duma members proposed that