On Zorkin’s Court and Russian Foreign Policy

Abstract

As Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Russia, Valery Zorkin has sought to legitimise State authoritarianism. He has done this through his jurisprudence and stewardship of the Court. Nowhere is this more visible than with the Courts approach to the executive’s foreign policy. This analysis will explore Zorkin’s views and impact upon the Constitutional Court, its relationship with the Presidency, and the extent to which Zorkin’s Court legitimises and reinforces Russia’s foreign policy.