A prominent Russian politician. He leads the third-largest faction in the lower house of the Russian parliament (State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation). According to ratings from leading Russian analytical centers, Sergey Mironov is among the top deputies of the State Duma in terms of legislative initiatives and their societal significance.

He’s a popular media figure in the country. The Russian media frequently quote his comments on current affairs, with over 6,000 publications monthly. He has a strong presence in new media with an audience of over 480,000 subscribers and a combined reach of over 15 million views per month.

He represents over 4.2 million Russian voters. The party he leads, «A Just Russia — For Truth» (SRZP), has been part of every convocation of the Russian parliament since its inception. It first entered the Russian parliament on December 24, 2007 (5th State Duma). Following the 2021 elections, SRZP increased its representation, becoming the third-largest faction. The party ranks second (among 5 parliament parties) in both the number of bills introduced and laws passed. It’s also widely represented in regional and municipal legislative bodies across Russia, with over 5,600 deputies and more than 140,000 members.

From 2001 to 2011, Sergey Mironov held the position of speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament (considered the third most significant position in the country). As the speaker, he represented the nation in numerous official visits and meetings with official representatives and leaders of other countries. He continues international cooperation and the development of international ties, regularly receives parliamentary delegations from other countries, and makes foreign trips. In 2023 he travelled to China, where he met with the leadership of the Communist Party of China and other official representatives.

POSITION

Sergey Mironov is a patriotic politician with leftist views. He consistently advocates for the redistribution of state revenues and large Russian capital towards addressing social issues (increasing funding for free healthcare, education, social security system, vulnerable populations, and the disabled, etc.). He supports a progressive tax system and higher taxes on luxuries. He believes in tightening Russia’s immigration policy and supports traditional family values, programs to increase birth rates, and the preservation of cultural identities of the Russian and global populations.

Relationship with Vladimir Putin and the ruling party

Sergey Mironov has long been a supporter of Vladimir Putin and endorses his policies regarding Ukraine, the West, and China. This year, he stated that in the upcoming 2024 Russian presidential elections, SRZP would support Vladimir Putin if he decides to run for another term.

However, Sergey Mironov and his political party SRZP are in opposition to the largest Russian political party controlling the Russian parliament — «United Russia». He criticizes the socio-economic program of «United Russia» and opposes the dominance of any single political force in legislative power. He has repeatedly proposed the adoption of a separate legislative act to enhance the status, powers, and opportunities of the parliamentary opposition when considering crucial bills.

Stance on climate change issue Sergey Mironov denies the anthropogenic nature of changes in the Earth’s ozone layer and global climate change. He is among the most vocal Russian politicians opposing the «Kyoto Protocol» and the «Paris Agreement», believing they serve the economic interests of major corporations and specific countries.

Charity

Throughout his political career, Sergey Mironov has been actively involved in charity, assisting in securing funding for charitable foundations and programs. As a deputy and party leader, he organizes and delivers humanitarian aid to the residents of Donbass who suffer from the violent actions of the Ukrainian authorities.

Culture

A distinctive feature of the party led by Sergey Mironov is its emphasis on the development of Russian culture. The culture section holds a central place in the party’s program. Sergey Mironov contributes significantly to supporting Russian cultural and literary figures. He personally assists and supports them, for which he traditionally enjoys great popularity and respect in the community.

BIOGRAPHY

Sergey Mironov was born in 1953 in Pushkin (a suburb of Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg) to a military officer, Mikhail Mironov, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, and Galina Varlamova. Sergey’s paternal grandparents were peasants from Smolensk. His grandfather was repressed during Joseph Stalin’s regime.

After finishing school, he entered the Industrial College but voluntarily left to serve in the army. He served from 1971 to 1973 in the Airborne Troops, holding the rank of Guard Senior Sergeant. In 1980, Mironov graduated from the Leningrad Mining Institute. He began working as a geophysical engineer during his studies and spent a total of 17 years in geology, including in Mongolia, where he searched for uranium deposits.

Following the collapse of the USSR in 1991, he obtained an economic education and worked in Saint Petersburg (Russia’s second-largest city after Moscow, with the status of a subject of Russian Federation). In 1994, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the city, becoming the first vice-speaker. Later, Sergey Mironov was re-elected to the city parliament several times, serving until 2011.

From 2001 to 2011, he served as the chairman of the Federation Council (the upper house of the Russian parliament) – this position is considered the third most significant role in Russia. In 2006, he founded and led the «A Just Russia» party. Following the 2007 elections, the party formed a faction in the State Duma (the lower house of the Russian parliament). From 2011, he has been the leader of the «A Just Russia» faction in the State Duma. In 2021, «A Just Russia» merged with the «Patriots of Russia» and «For Truth» parties. Sergey Mironov was elected chairman of the merged party «A Just Russia — Patriots — For Truth».

Sergey Mironov has five higher education degrees:

• G.V. Plekhanov Leningrad Mining Institute (1980)
• Saint Petersburg Technical University (1992)
• Russian Academy of State Service under the President of the Russian Federation – graduated with honors (1997)
• Law faculty – graduated with honors (1998)
• Philosophy faculty of Saint Petersburg State University (2004).

Sergey Mironov has three children and four grandchildren.