Government and politics in Karelya Rep., Russia: official figures
Artur Parfenchikov is the Head of Karelia, the highest official of the region, according to the Federation Council's regional page in October 2026.
How is the governor of Karelia elected?
The head of Karelia is elected directly by residents for a 5-year term, and the current term runs until September 2027.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyWho is the speaker of the Karelia legislature?
Larisa Podsadnik chairs the Legislative Assembly of Karelia, the regional legislature.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyHow many deputies are in the Karelia legislature?
The Legislative Assembly of Karelia has 36 deputies, 19th smallest of 82 regional legislatures listed by the Federation Council; 18 are elected in single-member districts and 18 from party lists.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyHow many people does each deputy represent in Karelia?
Each deputy of the Karelia legislature represents about 14,481 residents (2026 population), 16th fewest of 82 regions.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyWhen was the last regional election in Karelia?
The sitting Legislative Assembly of Karelia was elected in September 2021 for a 5-year term, according to the Federation Council's regional profile.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyWho are the senators from Karelia?
Karelia sends two senators to the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament: Igor Zubarev and Vladimir Chizhov.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyWhich federal district is Karelia in?
Karelia is one of 11 federal subjects in the Northwestern Federal District, the tier through which the Kremlin oversees regional governments.
Source: Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation · saved copyWhat is the capital of Karelia?
According to the Federation Council, it was formed on 8 June 1920 and it covers 180,500 square kilometres.
Source: Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation · saved copyHow Karelya Rep. compares with other first-level divisions
Seats in the regional legislature (2026)
Karelya Rep. ranks 64 of 82, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Seats in the regional legislature |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Penzenskaya Oblast | 36 |
| 62 | Khabarovskiy Kray | 36 |
| 63 | Ulyanovskaya Oblast | 36 |
| 64 | Karelya Rep. | 36 |
| 65 | Kostromskaya Oblast | 35 |
| 66 | Vologodskaya Oblast | 34 |
| 67 | Kurganskaya Oblast | 34 |
Residents per regional deputy (2026 population) (2026)
Karelya Rep. ranks 67 of 82, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Residents per regional deputy (2026 population) |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | Kostromskaya Oblast | 16,106 |
| 65 | Mordoviya Rep. | 15,877 |
| 66 | Buryatiya Rep. | 14,717 |
| 67 | Karelya Rep. | 14,481 |
| 68 | Sakha Rep. | 14,341 |
| 69 | Orlovskaya Oblast | 13,794 |
| 70 | Kabardino-balkariya Rep. | 12,953 |
More on Karelya Rep.: overview · economy and jobs · poverty and living standards · government budget · Russia
Sources
- Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation: Federation Council region pages "Власть в регионе" (www.council.gov.ru/structure/regions/<code>/), 82 pages saved together in one zip, read 24 October 2026, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0a8e4e20136b…)
- Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation: Volume and structure of the state debt of the subjects of the Russian Federation and municipal debt on 1 October 2026, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc62520847dd…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.