Abstract
The upper chamber of the Russian parliament elected in December 1993 - the Council of the Federation - has been largely ignored by commentators, yet its political significance should not be overlooked. The evidence suggests that it functioned as an ally of the president in the first six months of its existence. Analysis of roll-call votes reveals patterns of voting for and against government policies, compounded by abstention and absenteeism, in turn a reflection of the large number of independent deputies, affiliated with no party, and of the fact that many hold administrative positions at provincial level which keep them away from Moscow. In principle, alliance between the executive and the upper house could reduce the political power of the lower house (the State Duma); in practice, structural features render that development problematic.