what is duma in russia

The Duma is a legislative authority that consists of 450 members elected to represent the people of Russia. It is one of the chambers of the Russian parliament, the Federal Assembly, and is responsible for adopting laws and regulations that regulate public relations in Russia. The history of the representative legislative body of state power in Russia began with the establishment of the first State Duma in 1905. During the work of the four Dumas of the Russian Empire, laws on education and labor protection in the workplace were approved, and measures for the social protection of the poor and other segments of the population were developed. In the modern history of Russia, the State Duma, along with the Federation Council, is one of the two chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation. The latest State Duma elections took place on September 18, 2016, and United Russia, backed by President Vladimir Putin, won over 54% of ballots and 343 seats.