Description

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Analysis of why politicians are driven to create an independent judicial institution with the authority to overrule their decisions. It focuses on a country with no tradition of independent judicial review - Russia. History does not support an independent judiciary here; yet a potentially powerful constitutional court has existed for 20 years.

About the Author

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CARLA THORSONVice President of Public Programs, World Affairs Council of Northern California, USA. She is a specialist in Russian Politics and has held previous positions at UCLA, RAND, RFE/RL Inc., and IREX.