Born on May 28, 1953 in Leningrad. In 1976 he graduated from the physics faculty of  Leningrad State University named after A.A. Zhdanov with degree in physics.

In 1992 he graduated from the postgraduate studies of the Russian Academy of Management, with specialty in sociology.

He worked at the State Optical Institute named after S.I. Vavilov (Leningrad), in komsomol and labor agencies.

From 1992 to 2002 he was a general director of LLC “Publishing House “Kluch-C”.

From 2002 to 2006 he was a deputy chief of the executive committee of the Nationwide council, the first deputy of the chairman of the political party "Russian Party of Life."

In 2007-2011 he was elected as a deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the head of the faction "JUST RUSSIA" in the State Duma of the V convocation. He was a member of the State DUMA Committee for Science and High Technologies, a member of the Permanent delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in the Parliamentary assembly of NATO.

In 2011he was elected as a chairman of the party at the V Congress of the party JUST RUSSIA.

On December 21, 2011 he was elected as a Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation of the sixth convocation.

In 2013 he was elected as a Chairman of the Council of the party's deputies at the VII Congress of the party JUST RUSSIA.

On February 24, 2016 he was appointed as a member of the Central Election Commission of the Russian Federation by the resolution of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation.

He is awarded with the Order of Amity, the honorary diploma of the President of the Russian Federation, the honorary title of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation "For merits in the development of parliamentarism".

He is married and has one daughter.