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Yeltsin no-confidence vote delayed
Communist-led Russian parliament steps back from showdown
In this story: October 15, 1997
Web posted at: 1:13 p.m. EDT (1713 GMT)MOSCOW (CNN) -- President Boris Yeltsin defused a proposed no-confidence vote against his government on Wednesday, persuading the Communist-led parliament to avoid a showdown it seemed likely to lose.
Facing the prospect that their proposal would fail, hard-line lawmakers backed down after Yeltsin promised to cooperate in talks on revising an austere 1998 budget plan that has caused weeks of wrangling.
After discussing the no-confidence issue for more than two hours, the State Duma, or lower house, voted 228-137 to postpone a no-confidence vote until next Wednesday.
It would take 226 votes for the no-confidence motion to pass in the 450-seat chamber. The Communists have about 140 seats in the Duma.
Under Russia's constitution, Yeltsin cannot dissolve the Duma if it passes just one no-confidence vote but can do so if it passes another one within the next three months.
Yeltsin holds upper hand
Holding the upper hand, the Russian president waited until the debate was under way before offering the Communist-led opposition something of a face-saving way out.
"I don't want confrontation, early elections," he was quoted as saying by Duma speaker Gennady Seleznyov. "Don't put me in a difficult position" -- a clear reference to his right to dismiss parliament.
The postponement meant Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov was unable to muster enough support to vote no-confidence in the government and put the brakes on Yeltsin's proposed economic reforms.
The showdown had been building for weeks as the Communist Party and other opposition groups in the Duma expressed bitter resistance to Yeltsin's economic policies.
Gunning for Chubais
Earlier in the day, First Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Chubais predicted economic hardship and the need for new elections if the no-confidence motion passed.
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, an advocate of moderate economic reform, has made clear he will resign after nearly five years in office if the Yeltsin government loses the vote.
But the man the Communists really are gunning for is Chubais, whom they blame for the suffering many Russians have endured because of reforms.
The government has stepped up reforms since Chernomyrdin and Yeltsin instigated a gradual reshuffle last February, which promoted more radical reformers such as Chubais.
Government officials say Russia is poised for economic growth, nearly six years after the Soviet Union collapsed, and that reforms are finally starting to bear fruit.
But Martian Gilman, an International Monetary Fund resident representative in Moscow, said the situation remained "extremely difficult," because low revenues were putting pressure on the budget.
Ironically, ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a constant critic of Yeltsin, warned that a no-confidence vote could backfire on the Communists.
"Things are really bad today, but why should the parliament destroy itself?" he asked.
Zhirinovsky also said he would not vote against the government, because he opposes new elections.
Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty and Reuters contributed to this report.
- Message Board: Russian parliament debates no-confidence vote
- Newsmaker Profile: Viktor Chernomyrdin - Russian Prime Minister
- Newsmaker Profile: Boris Yeltsin - Russian President
Related stories:
- Yeltsin, Russian parliament showdown postponed - October 15, 1997
- Russian PM to offer resignation if no-confidence passed - October 14, 1997
- Yeltsin scolds Russian lawmakers for ignoring reforms - October 3, 1997
- Russia defense minister fired over stalled reforms - May 22, 1997
Related sites:
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- Russian Government Internet Network- press releases from the presidential press service and information on the structure of Russia's power system
- Interfax - Russian News Service
- Russia Today - source for daily, in-depth information on Russian business, politics and economics
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