For the first time RUDN hosted the youth student works competition in memory of Petr Kucherenko

Pyotr Kucherenko, Professor, Doctor of Law, head of the Department of the Judiciary, Civil Society and Law Enforcement, Law Institute. Author of more than 100 scientific and methodological and scientific works in the field of law.

He spent 29 years at RUDN University and worked his way up from a student of the Pre-University Faculty to the Head of the department. He always supported young and ambitious people. The ongoing competition is the implementation of his views and values.

On March 30, 2020, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. On June 17, 2021, he was appointed State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

Peter Alexandrovich was a full state councilor of the Russian Federation of the 2nd class. He was awarded the Medal of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", 2nd grade medal, and a Certificate of Honor from the Federation Council of the Russian Federation.

Priority areas of research:

• comparative analysis of the electoral systems of Russia and foreign countries;
• the role of political parties in electoral law;
• features of regional and municipal elections;
• the activity of the judiciary in resolving electoral disputes.

The winners of the competition:

• I place, Alexander Shmelev
• II place, Victoria Khripushina
• III place, Vladislav Konyukhov and Valeria Penkina

"The scientific work is devoted to a critical analysis of the institute of direct election of judges of the highest courts as a mechanism of democratization of the judiciary, on the example of Bolivia and the implemented reform in Mexico. The central problematic is the contradiction between the declared goals of such reforms (increased accountability, transparency, fight against corruption) and their real consequences associated with the politicization of elections and voter absenteeism.

My research demonstrates that direct election of superior court judges, instead of building trust and independence, can become a catalyst for their political dependence and diminished legitimacy, calling into question the very possibility of achieving the declared goals of judicial reform in Mexico and other countries considering similar models", Alexander Shmelev (Jurisprudence, IV course).