Specificities of the Formation of Discursive Coalitions in the Regional Parliament Using the Example of Discussion of the Moscow City Budget for 2020-2022

This study aims to explore the formation of discursive coalitions within the Moscow city regional parliament during the discussions of the city budget for the years 2020-2022. The research employs discourse network analysis as the primary methodological approach to examine the discursive practices of different actors in the parliament, the issues they prioritize, and the variety of discourses of political actors in shaping the budgetary agenda. Using the method of discourse network analysis, it is proposed to analyze a significant amount of data on thematic blocks, within which the polarization of opinions and positions of parliamentarians on the issue will be observed. By examining specificities and the mechanisms of the formation of discursive coalitions in Moscow City Duma, which are shaped during the consideration of strategic initiatives aimed at the decision-making process on socio-political issues, this study contributes to our knowledge of parliamentary discussions and the specific discursive practices in Russian regional parliamentary level. The results of the analysis revealed that three discursive coalitions were formed. The first discursive coalition coincided with the "party of power" faction formed in the parliament, led by United Russia. The second coalition included some representatives of the parliamentary opposition, who did not actively participate in the discussion of the draft law, but expressed an opinion on less discussed topics that contradicted with the opinion of the deputies of the "party of power" or representatives of the executive branch. The third discursive coalition includes the most "non-systemic" deputies. These deputies expressed distrust of state institutions, including questioning the transparency of the budget procedure. In almost all the categories discussed, their positions were opposite to the discourse of the legislators from the "ruling party" and the participants in the discussion from the executive branch.