Public discourse on draft laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation
The subject of this research is the theory and practice of one of the forms of direct democracy – public discourse of draft laws of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The object of this research is the public relations associated with regulation of the institution of public discourse on draft laws in the Russian regions, as well as citizens’ participation therein. The author meticulously examines such aspects of the topic as the adoption by the Russian regions of laws and other normative acts on public discourse, flaws in the federal regulation of the question; provides an overview of the practice of public debates in a number of Russian regions; analyzes the causes for the low effectiveness of this institution. Special attention is given to the results of sociological survey conducted on the subject matter. The main conclusions of this research consists in determination of flaws in the existing regulation of the democratic institution of public discourse on draft laws, identification of causes of inactivity of the Russian citizens with regards to public discourse on the normative legal acts. The author’s special contribution consists in the analysis of practice of conducting public discourse in the regions of the Russian Federation, as well as in the attempt to assess the prospects for the development of this legal institution in in the Russian regions. The scientific novelty lies in outlining the problems of regulation and practice that currently arise in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the context of public discourse on draft laws, as well as in the specific measures on elimination of these problems proposed by the author.