State Duma second half of the 1990s, the Duma became an important forum for lobbying by regional leaders and businessmen looking for tax breaks and legislative favors. The work of the leading committees, such as those for defense, foreign affairs, or budget, attracted a good deal of media attention and lobbying activity. In the early 2000s, following the 1999 parliamentary elections, the pro-presidential Unity party and the Communist Party of the Russian Federation were the leading forces in the State Duma. A 2016 exposé by Dissernet showed that 1 in 9 members of the State Duma had obtained academic degrees with theses
2009 Moscow City Duma election 2009 Moscow City Duma election The Moscow legislative election of 2009 was held October 11 of that year to the Moscow City Duma. On party lists were elected 18 of the 35 deputies, 17 deputies were in single-member constituencies. To get into the City Duma parties need to overcome the 7% thereshold. The term of office of the new City Duma is five years. It had been four years. On July 8, 2009, the Moscow City Duma elections were announced for October 11. 4 August 2009 issued Decree of the Government of Moscow on the organizational and logistical election to