Central Duma

Categories / City Administration/Government Bodies
CENTRAL DUMA (Central City Duma) is the elected organ of city self-government. It was set up by the Provisional Government after the February revolution of 1917, dealing with the same problems as the previous City Duma. On June, 19 (old style: July, 2) 1917 elections of members of the Temporary Central Duma were held (initially members had been elected by District Duma s); among the 200 members there were 37 Bolsheviks, 40 Mensheviks, 47 Constitutional Democrats, 54 members of Socialist Revolutionary Party. Meetings of the Central Duma took part in Taurida Palace. In August, 20 (old style: September, 2) 1917 elections of members of the Permanent Central Duma were held (all the citizens over the age of 20 including the military were eligible to vote): Bolsheviks received 67 seats, Mensheviks received 8 seats, Constitutional Democrats - 42 seats, members of Socialist Revolutionary Party - 75 seats. At the end of October 1917 the Bolshevik faction left the rows of the Central Duma protesting against participation of its members in the Committee for Social Security and in the Committee for Salvation of Motherland and Revolution. According to the Decree of December, 16 (old style: 29) 1917 of the Special People's Commissariat the Central Duma was dissolved, new elections were called, in the course of which Bolsheviks received 188 seats out of 200. M. I. Kalinin was appointed head of City Administration ("head of the city"). On January 24 (old style: February, 6) 1918 the Commissariat of local self-government published the decree “On Replacement of Provincial and City Self-Governments with Soviets.” In April 1918 the City Administration approved the decree on dissolution of the Central Duma. In September 1918 the Central Duma was finally abolished, its functions were transferred to Petrograd Soviet.

Reference: Кручковская В. М. Центральная городская дума Петрограда в 1917 г. Л., 1986.

Y. N. Kruzhnov. Kalinin Mikhail Ivanovich
Кручковская В. М. Центральная городская дума Петрограда в 1917 г. Л., 1986 Provisional Government of 1917
February Revolution of 1917
City Duma
Tauride Palace