The State Duma needs to adopt a clear mission statement so voters can understand its relevancy, a leading sociologist told Duma Speaker Sergei Naryshkin on Wednesday.
"People know that the State Duma passes laws, but they need clarity on the reason for its existence," Alexander Oslon, head of the Public Opinion foundation, told an advisory council meeting chaired by Naryshkin.
To achieve this goal, "the core mission of the Duma needs to be formulated in simple, accessible language," he said, Interfax reported.
The Duma, widely seen as a rubber-stamp body to the Kremlin during President Vladimir Putin's 12 years in power, has seen its popularity sink to new lows in recent years. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets after disputed Duma elections in December.
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