Regions should control budgets and languages Tatar activist and publicist Ruslan Aysin suggested strengthening Russia’s federal system by explicitly highlighting the status of national republics in the Constitution. In his view, all regions of the Russian Federation — including national republics — should have the right to manage their own budgets, regulate language policy, and participate in decision-making at the federal level. He believes there should be no such concept as the "federal center" since all federal subjects are equal. “The Federation Council should have serious political weight,” Aysin added. “There needs to be a fully functioning chamber of regions, like in the 1990s, when governors and speakers of regional parliaments were part of the Federation Council. It was a meaningful political institution.” Elect mayors and judges directly, limit presidential power Political activist Kirill Rumyantsev from Saratov believes the Constitution should limit the powers of the president — since “under current conditions, no one holding that office can refuse authoritarian governance.” He supports transforming Russia into a parliamentary republic. He suggests holding direct elections for mayors, judges (at least justices of the peace), and Federation Council members. Ministers — both regional and federal — should be either directly elected or confirmed by local parliaments. He also proposes reforming the electoral system to allow all political parties (not just those with parliamentary status) to nominate candidates without collecting signatures. “Political parties are, by definition, professional organizations meant for peaceful competition for power,” he said. He believes the electoral threshold should be lowered and calculated based on the number of votes needed to gain one seat in parliament. Even if dozens of small parties gain one or two deputies each, this would make parliament more representative of public opinion — not just the views of four or five major parties. Rumyantsev thinks the key problem with Russia’s Constitution isn’t its content — but that dominant political groups keep rewriting it to stay in power. The solution, he argues, is to build strong institutions that function independently of who holds office and preserve pluralism in politics. Animal cruelty is real — Russia needs zoo police Vadim Sevastyanov, an animal rights activist from Orenburg Oblast, says Article 114 of the current Constitution — which obliges the government to promote humane treatment of animals — has little effect in practice. He recalls a case in which a local man killed dogs using a pellet gun. Police later found a homemade lab in his house where he produced cyanide bullets — but he wasn’t arrested. Months later, a sick eagle owl was found by volunteers — it had been shot. This was especially alarming since there are only 20–50 breeding pairs of eagle owls in the region. Sevastyanov believes the Constitution should mandate support for shelters and volunteers and promote humane treatment of animals and nature. He also calls for the creation of a “zoo police” to investigate and prevent crimes against animals. Protect gender identity and same-sex marriage Queer activist Shoshana (who asked not to share her last name) from the Urals says the Constitution should not define marriage as “a union between a man and a woman.” This clause violates the rights of queer people who wish to marry same-sex partners. Regina Dzugkoeva, head of the Mayak organization in Vladivostok, agrees. She also supports adding gender and sexual identity to Article 19 of the Constitution, which currently prohibits discrimination based on sex, race, and other factors. “The state must also guarantee equality for other vulnerable groups — people with disabilities, those living with HIV, etc.,” Dzugkoeva said. Shoshana argues that people should have the right to legally change their gender markers without psychiatric approval. Such a change, she says, would ease dysphoria for trans and nonbinary people. If someone later decides to de-transition, they should be able to change their documents again without barriers. “Psychiatric approval can be reserved for surgical procedures,” she added. Environmental rights should come first An anonymous environmental activist says the Russian Constitution already addresses environmental protection — but the norms often contradict each other or are ignored. Article 42 guarantees everyone the right to a healthy environment, but Article 58 requires individuals to protect nature themselves. He points out a problem: other rights — like freedom of movement — can conflict with environmental protections. For example, someone can legally enter a nature reserve but damage the ecosystem while doing so. He believes the Constitution should prioritize ecological norms — limiting human actions when nature is at risk. Strikes should be a constitutional right Russia’s Constitution guarantees the right to choose where and how to work. But according to an anonymous activist from the Antijob community, it should also enshrine the right to form associations (like unions) and the right to strike. Freedom of association is a core democratic principle, the activist says. It enables people to unite and build civil society. For labor rights, this means forming unions to collectively defend worker interests. “There’s an imbalance of power between employers and workers. Employers can fire or punish employees — workers need tools to respond, and strikes are a peaceful, direct way to push back.” He argues that individual resignations change nothing. Only collective action — like strikes — has historically led to progress: the eight-hour workday, vacation rights, maternity leave, and more. “People with rights, decent pay, and job security are more likely to engage in politics, be independent — and less likely to go fight in a war just because it pays more than their day job.” | 
