Putin was Yeltsin's final prime minister, appointed less than six months prior to becoming acting president. Putin, as the next president of Russia, will be guided by Russia's 1993 constitution and by Yeltsin's example. This note examines the process of adoption of the 1993 constitution and the way in which it has been implemented and followed over the last seven years. The note suggests that the constitution was adopted and has been used as a vehicle for Yeltsin to rule Russia as an autocrat. This may have disturbing consequences for the future with a president who may not be as reform-minded as Yeltsin.
Historical comparisons illustrate how dangerous circumstances in Russia can become.
The note concludes that there is no way to predict what will happen in the future for Russia, but that the world should watch closely and hope for further reform and true rule of law for Russia. In 1998, the United Nations finalized an International Criminal Court statute. The purpose of this statute was to create an international tribunal, through which the international community could investigate and, if required, prosecute crimes of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. An overwhelming majority of the United Nations delegates signed the statute, with a promise to bring the document back to their countries for ratification. The United States was one of only seven states to oppose the statute because, it claimed, it contained insufficient safeguards in light of the rights granted by the United States Constitution.