The 4th State Duma's composition was based upon the results of the 2003 parliamentary election.

Of the twenty–four parties participating in the elections, only four were able to overcome the 5% election threshold to gain representation based upon the proportional representation system and another party was held in the State Duma by winning a few electoral districts.

The first meeting of the State Duma traditionally held oldest deputy – 80 year-old of Valentin Varennikov.

On December 29, 2003, the parliament elected Boris Gryzlov as the Chairman of the State Duma.

Deputy Chairman elected: Georgy Boos (before September 21, 2005), Yuri Volkov (since September 21, 2005), Artur Chilingarov, Vyacheslav Volodin, Vladimir Pekhtin, Oleg Morozov, Valentin Kuptsov, Dmitry Rogozin and Vladimir Zhirinovsky.