Model of regional power is explored on the example of Saint-Petersburg representative body through the prism of democratic institutions effectiveness in post-communist Russia. The research is focused on the disconnection between formally designed democratic system and their actual operation. The concept of informal institutions (P. DiMaggio, W. Powell, G. O’Donnell, H.-J. Lauth, W. Merkel, A. Croissant, G. Helmke, S. Levitsky) is applied to specify the role of informal practices. The analysis covers three terms of appointment of Saint-Petersburg Legislative Assembly from 1998 till 2012. According to the results of long-term sociological study two groups of informal practices had been described, the practices of internal coordination and those of interaction with Administration. The first group includes manipulation by formal norms regulating the factions structure; package deals and closed-door bargaining between factions in power sharing and «portfolio distribution»; blocking the voting by means of quorum break. Informal interaction includes the communication and the exchange. By means of personal, indirect or public communication the government informs the deputies on its interests. Informal exchange is provided by means of patronage practices, such as electoral support, granting economic privileges, appointment power. Since 2000 the federal centre undertakes the intervention in regional power institutions using the informal practices familiar to deputies. Displacement of the governor (2003) can mark a new phase of regional parliament history: establishing of new institutional model of regional power which is characterized by subordinated position of Legislative Assembly, fading of its inner opposition and involving of two branches in a mutually beneficial exchange instead of separations of powers. Informal practices haven’t undergone serious changes and remain effective. Informal communication between the power bodies became less personal. Application of electoral support practice was considerably facilitated with transition to party-list system since Regional Legislatives of 2007. The conclusion can be made that the system of practices serves as the important mechanism of formation and maintenance of current regional power model.
