Deputies of the Russian State Duma: The Dynamics of Employment in the Political-administrative and Commercial Spheres after Leaving Office

Abstract

This article examines the historical dynamics of the careers of State Duma deputies after leaving office. The empirical foundation of the study is a biographical database containing information on the post-resignation careers of deputies from the 1st to 7th convocations (1993–2021). Several key trends are identified: a decline in transitions to federal administration, including elite positions, particularly in government; an increase in movements to regional legislative assemblies and the Federation Council; a growing dominance of private sector employment, an increasing number of former deputies engaging in personal or family-owned businesses, and a decrease in migration to managerial roles in large corporations. In analyzing elite post-Duma employment within the state apparatus, the author notes structural changes. Deputies from the 1st and 2nd convocations were more likely to occupy elite positions at the federal level, particularly in administrative roles, whereas deputies from the 6th and 7th convocations were more frequently found in regional-level positions and legislative roles. Institutional factors influencing these post-career trajectories are also explored, including the diminishing power of the State Duma relative to the president and executive branch, the establishment of a congruent party system, the transformation of United Russia into the dominant party, changes in the formation procedures for the Federation Council and gubernatorial recruitment, and the abandonment of practices such as combining parliamentary and governmental roles.