Putin orders convening 5th State Duma for inaugural session

Moscow, Dec 13 (UNI) Russian President Vladimir Putin has issued a decree to convene the first session of the 5th State Duma, lower house of parliament, on December 24.

The decree came into force on the day of its official publication in the government controlled newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta today.

The oldest deputy to the newly elected house, Academician and Nobel Prize Winner Zhores Alfyorov (77) who contested on the Communist Party ticket was expected to preside the opening session.

A plenary meeting is to be presided over alternately by the oldest members of all the four factions represented in the house, pending the election of Speaker.

During the first plenary meeting, those present were expected to elect Deputy Speakers, whereas chairmen of commissions would be elected by early next year.

In the parliamentary elections earlier this month, President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party received 315 seats, Communist Party 57, the Liberal Democratic Party 40, and the Just Russia party 38, in the 450-member house.

UNI