Aleksander Torshin was the acting Chairman of the Federation Council of Russia

Federation Council of Russia

Federation Council of Russia ) is the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , according to the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation...

, the upper house of the Russian parliament for 4 months. Torshin, originating from Mari El Republic, a republic in Russia, is a leading figure in United Russia

United Russia

United Russia is a centrist political party in Russia and the largest party in the country, currently holding 315 of the 450 seats in the State Duma. The party was founded in December 2001, through a merger of the Unity and Fatherland-All Russia parties...

 party

He took over his responsibilities as acting chairman from Sergey Mironov

Sergey Mironov

Sergey Mikhailovich Mironov , is a former chairman of the Federation Council, the upper house of the Russian parliament and a leading figure in the A Just Russia party.- Biography :...

 on May 19, 2011 after Mironov was ousted by the majority United Russia in the Council.

Torshin remained as acting chairman until the election of Valentina Matviyenko

Valentina Matviyenko

Valentina Ivanovna Matviyenko , born 7 April 1949 in the Ukrainian SSR), is currently the highest-ranking female politician in Russia, the former governor of Saint Petersburg and the current Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation...

also from the United Russia Party. She assumed her responsibilities on September 21, 2011.