The term «protest» in constitutional law: the meaning and contents

This article attempts to define the meaning and contents of the concept «protest» as it exists in constitutional law. The author abstains from acknowledging «the right to protest» in Russia’s constitutional law system. Instead it is studied how the opportunities to express the protest against decisions, actions (or lack thereof) by public authorities can be implemented as the modes of substantive public participation. The author considers the differences between formal and substantive public participation while emphasizing that the Constitution of the Russian Federation avoids direct usage of such terms as «protest», «criticism», or «objections» with respect to both types of such participation.