The Russian law "On Political Parties" of 1995 and the problems of legal regulation of the activities of political associations in the 1990s
The article discusses the Russian law «On Political Parties» of 1995, which had been never adopted. The author considers this law as an integral document, which reflects specific approaches to understanding a political party in the 1990s. He concludes that this document was highly eclectic and contained several gaps, inaccuracies and omissions. All these shortcomings could turn into serious legal collisions if the law were adopted. The author thinks that the legal drafters initially lacked a clear legal concept and often acted according to the current political environment. The law did not endow the party with special rights as the only collective participant in the political process and did not provide for the simultaneous depoliticization of other public associations. Although the author notes the numerous shortcomings of the law, he is reluctant to criticize the legal drafters' approach. In fact, it was most consistent with the 1993 Constitution, which guarantees political pluralism that means not only ideological and political pluralism but also the variety of organisational and legal arrangements for the citizens' consolidation.