Citizen Self-Organization in the Local Self-Government System: a Political and Legal Analysis of Federal Legislative Changes

Introduction: The article examines the essence of citizen self-organisation within the local self-government system and analyses the transformation of this institution in the Russian Federation following the adoption of a new federal law in March 2025 regulating the general principles of its implementation. The key problem addressed in the work lies in the conceptual revision of the legislative definition of local self-government: it is no longer defined as a form of the people exercising their power and is instead interpreted primarily as a form of citizen self-organisation, for which power serves merely as a goal rather than a means of implementation. This fundamental change raises the question of preserving the constitutional autonomy of local self-government as an independent and separate level of public authority, necessitating profound theoretical reconsideration. Methodology: The aim of the study is to assess the consequences of modifying the basic definition for institutions of direct democracy. The methodological framework is based on a comparative legal analysis of the provisions of the previously effective law and the new law, as well as on a systemic approach that allows for an objective assessment of the relationship between the change in the basic definition and the transformation of direct democracy institutions at the municipal level. Results: The author identifies a number of sustained trends, including the consistent reduction of imperative forms of popular rule, the gradual replacement of direct forms of citizen expression with consultative mechanisms producing recommendations rather than binding decisions, and the continued limitation of direct popular elections of heads of municipalities. Conclusions: Citizen self-organisation in the context of local self-government represents a complex phenomenon that must simultaneously encompass socio-political and socio-economic components. The shift in emphasis from “exercising power” to “self-organisation” creates a risk of substituting the constitutional essence of this institution of authority with a form of civic activism. The practical significance of the work lies in the potential application of its findings in the improvement of municipal legislation, in expert activities, and in teaching courses on constitutional and municipal law in higher education. Prospects for further research involve monitoring the law enforcement practice of the new legislation.

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