In this paper I explore the understudied dynamic between the legislature and the siloviki – the security and law enforcement apparatus – in Russian legislative processes. Scholarship on the siloviki predominantly hold that ever since the so-called “illiberal turn” in 2012 they have gained more power in the Kremlin. During the same time period the executive powers as well as the legislature have successfully sponsored bills that transfer powers to the siloviki. By analyzing cases of silovik interference in the legislative processes of the Russian State Duma this paper advances our understanding of the role of legislatures in authoritarian regimes. The paper also considers their incentives for influencing legislative processes in the State Duma and explore strategies of silovik legitimation in the Duma.
