RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY IN THE PROGRAM AND STATUTORY DOCUMENTS OF POLITICAL PARTIES OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
Background: The main objective of the study is to compare by comparative analysis of the provisions of policy and statutory documents of political parties of the Russian Federation in the field of foreign policy activities of the state. Special attention is paid to the Russian parliamentary parties, as they have the greatest opportunities to influence the foreign policy process of the Russian Federation. The positions of political parties that do not have their own factions in the state Duma of the Russian Federation, but are represented in it by the single-seat districts, were also analyzed. Materials and methods: The study is based on the study, analysis and systematization of program and statutory documents of the parties «United Russia», «Communist party of the Russian Federation», «Liberal democratic party of Russia», «Fair Russia», «Homeland», «Civic Platform». Regulatory sources - Federal law № 95-FZ of 21 June 2001 «About political parties» and Resolution № 56/541-7 of the Central election Commission of the Russian Federation of 23 September 2016 «About the establishment of the General results of the elections of deputies to the state Duma of the seventh convocation of the Russian Federation» were studied. In addition to the method of studying documents, a comparative method with a small number of cases was used (I. G. Dokuchaeva, S. S. Maletin, etc.). Results: The analysis allowed to generalize the official positions of the parliamentary parties of the Russian Federation on foreign policy issues, to define their common vision of priorities and tasks of further development of the state in the framework of international cooperation, to identify similarities and fundamental differences between them on foreign policy issues. Conclusion: The obtained results can expand the existing theoretical knowledge on the problem of participation of political parties in the foreign policy process of the Russian Federation, the degree of their influence and the mechanisms of formation and implementation of foreign policy of the state, can be used in scientific and educational activities and practice of foreign policy decision-making bodies of the Russian Federation.