The government commonly silenced freedom of speech and it also used harsh measures against all dissenters. No independent political organizations, including labor unions, private businesses, churches, and opposing political parties, were tolerated.

Significant government pressure on independent media constrained coverage of numerous topics, especially Russia's war against Ukraine; political prisoners; treatment of LGBTQI+ persons; problems involving the environment, elections, COVID-19, and corruption; and criticism of local or federal leadership, as well as ...

The president is elected directly through a popular vote to a six-year term. Previously, the Constitution established a term limit for the presidency restricting the officeholder to serve no more than two consecutive terms.

The Russian constitution provides for freedom of speech and press; however, government application of law, bureaucratic regulation, and politically motivated criminal investigations have forced the press to exercise self-censorship constraining its coverage of certain controversial issues, resulting in infringements of ...