The local duma or parliamentary body meets here. It’s not exactly a vibrant example of democracy. Russia has a “power vertical” system, which means that the locals are to follow the diktats of their superiors. In the 1990s local elections resulted in governors and mayors who were not always compliant with the wishes of the Kremlin. Putin appointed presidential representatives to deal with these local bosses, but he’s found it much more efficient to have governors be appointed rather than elected, and within the last few months Ekaterinburg has lost the opportunity to elect the city mayor. The duma exists to ratify whatever it’s supposed to ratify. An efficient system, yes?