The role of Public Control and Discussion Platforms in the Constitutional and Legal Mechanism for the Implementation of Direct Grassroots Democracy in Russia

Abstract

The article pays special attention to the infrastructural component of the constitutional and legal mechanism for the exercise of direct democracy in Russia. The author substantiates that, in addition to traditional forms of direct expression of will (elections, referendums) and representative institutions, auxiliary instruments that ensure the identification, articulation, and consideration of the will of the people are of considerable importance. The institutional forms of public control (public chambers, councils under public authorities), their regulatory framework, functions, and critical shortcomings – such as manageability, dependence on the state, and limited competence — are analyzed. In contrast, discussion platforms (forums, online projects) are examined, which have greater flexibility and a broader range of issues under discussion, but lack legally binding force for public authorities. It is concluded that these infrastructural elements play an important auxiliary (communicative) role, contributing to the identification of public interests, but they are not fullfledged mechanisms of direct democracy, remaining instruments of "soft" influence that require subsequent formalization through representative forms.