ST. PETERSBURG, February 14 (RIA Novosti) - Deputies of the St. Petersburg legislative assembly have submitted a draft law to the lower house of Russia's parliament proposing electing senators by a nationwide vote.
Deputies said that presently the upper house of Russia's parliament, the Federation Council, comprises two representatives from each region, one elected by the region's legislature and the other appointed by the Federation constituent member's chief executive.
The bill submitted by the St. Petersburg deputies proposes that senators be elected by regional residents from among candidates nominated by the Federation entity's legislative or executive body.
Regional chief executives will have to nominate at least two candidates.
However, the speaker of the Federation Council said Wednesday the current wording of the draft law on senatorial elections was unlikely to pass.
"I welcome the initiative by my colleagues. But, unfortunately, I know that it does not have lawmaking prospects," Sergei Mironov told journalists in St. Petersburg.
He said he is positive about the principle of regional residents voting for candidates to the Federation Council.
"But I ask one question - who will this candidate represent in the Federation Council? As it now stands, he will be representing the Russian Federation constituent member as a whole, and not the legislative or executive power of the region," Mironov said.
The speaker said he and legal experts are working to resolve this "legal collision."
The chairman of the lower house's committee on constitutional legislation and state development said the St. Petersburg legislature's proposal is "constructive."
"The St. Petersburg deputies' proposals on the electivity of the Federation Council do not contradict the Russian Constitution," Vladimir Pligin said.
He also said this will make senators more responsible to their regions.
