Impromptu parliamentary session in Moscow: What is Putin planning?

Created: 07/13/2022Updated: 07/13/2022 10:46 am

By: Tobias Utz

In Russia, the Duma will meet surprisingly on Friday.

Russian media expect "big decisions".

MOSCOW – President Vladimir Putin has called the Russian House of Commons to an impromptu session on Friday (July 15).

So far no agenda is known.

Only one statement was made public: Vladimir Wasilyev, from the party "United Russia", stated that "at least 60 topics" would be dealt with.

In addition, 80 draft laws are up for debate.

However, Vasilyev did not give any further details.

In the run-up, however, there is speculation that there is a connection to the Ukraine war.

news agency

, for example, reports that even local Russian media were surprised by the meeting.

The newspaper

, for example, expects “big decisions”.

Domestic political instability is one of the possible reasons given for the spontaneous Duma session.

Vladimir Putin's war forecast of 15 days apparently continues to cause criticism.

As is well known, this was missed.

In addition, increasing, heavy losses raise questions.

The Ukrainian general staff now speaks of more than 37,000 fallen soldiers of the Russian army.

Spontaneous parliamentary session in Russia: Formally, the Russian lower house is very powerful

Numerous other rumors are circulating on Telegram.

Among other things, the Kremlin-loyal channel “General SVR” spreads it.

Several statements state that the meeting should be about the re-edition of a kind of USSR.

A landmark treaty will be ratified on Friday.

The aim is to bring Russia, Belarus and Ukraine together.

The information cannot be independently verified.

This also applies to the statements by Vladimir Vasilyev mentioned at the beginning.

The Duma will hold a special session on Friday.

(Archive photo) © Russia's State Duma / AFP

If the Russian lower house were to make decisions on the further course of the war on Friday, it would have an enormous impact.

The lower house of the Duma, with 325 of the 450 seats in parliament, can formally enact general laws for Russia.

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Only President Vladimir Putin then has to approve it.

In theory, the lower house can also vote to withdraw confidence from the government, which is very unlikely in the current situation.

The remaining 125 of the 450 parliamentary seats are held by the Federation Council as the upper house of the Duma.

This is considered to be significantly less powerful than the lower house.

(do)