President of the Soviet Union

The President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russian: Президент Союза Советских Социалистических Республик), also known as the President of the Soviet Union (Russian: Президент Советского Союза, Prezident Sovetskogo Soyuza) or the President of the USSR (Russian: Президент СССР)[2], was the head of state of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 15 March 1990 to 25 December 1991. Mikhail Gorbachev was the only person to occupy the office. Gorbachev was also General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union between March 1985 and August 1991. He derived an increasingly greater share of his power from his position as president until he finally resigned as General Secretary after the 1991 coup d'état attempt.

Not to be confused with the Premier of the Soviet Union.

President of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics
Президент Союза Советских Социалистических Республик
ResidenceKremlin Senate, Moscow[1]
AppointerDirect election,[2]
Congress of People's Deputies[3]
Formation15 March 1990 (1990-03-15)
First holderMikhail Gorbachev
Final holderMikhail Gorbachev
Abolished21 August 1991 (1991-08-21)[lower-alpha 1]
This article is part of a series on the
Politics of the Soviet Union
 

Powers

The presidency was an executive post, based on a mixture of the US and French presidencies.[4]

Prior to the creation of the post of president, the de jure head of state of the Soviet Union was the chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, who was often called the "president" by non-Soviet sources. For most of the Soviet Union's existence, all effective executive political power was in the hands of the general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with the chairman of the Presidium exercising largely symbolic and figurehead duties. Starting with Leonid Brezhnev in 1977, the last four general secretaries—Brezhnev, Yuri Andropov, Konstantin Chernenko, and Gorbachev—simultaneously served as de jure head of state during their time in office.

The president was initially elected by the Congress of People's Deputies and served as ex officio chairman of that body, but all future elections were to have been by popular vote. The president reported to the Supreme Soviet. On 24 September 1990, Gorbachev persuaded the Supreme Soviet to give him the power to rule by unrestricted decree (on the economy, law and order, and the appointment of government personnel) until 31 March 1992. Another power was the right to declare direct presidential rule in troubled areas and abolish democratic elected bodies if necessary.. During the election of the president several candidates were nominated, among leading contenders were KGB persona Vadim Bakatin and Premier Nikolai Ryzhkov.

The vice president of the Soviet Union was Gennady Yanayev, the only person to occupy that office. If the president was killed or unable to be in office, the vice president would become president. He was also the leader of the Gang of Eight which attempted the August coup, and declared himself acting president of the Soviet Union on 19 August 1991. After three days the coup collapsed and Gorbachev was restored. He held the office up to the country's dissolution.

The presidents powers were:

  • Commander in chief of the armed forces.
  • Could propose and veto legislation.
  • Appoint the Prime Minister, who would then have to be approved by the Supreme Soviet.
  • Fire the Prime Minister, if necessary.
  • Appointed and dismiss government ministers and officials.
  • Declare states of emergency or martial law within the borders of the USSR.
  • Act as the nations top representative abroad, and sign international treaties.
  • Call for national referendums on important issues.
  • Award military ranks and honorary titles.
  • Restore citizenship to exiles or internal dissidents.
  • Could overrule government decisions that violated the constitution or endangered citizens rights and freedoms.

Oath

With his right hand on a red bound copy of the Soviet Constitution, placed on a small table before the Congress, the president-elect (Gorbachev) took the flowing oath: "I solemnly swear to faithfully serve the peoples of our nations, to strictly observe the Soviet Constitution, to guarantee the rights and freedoms of citizens and to conscientiously fulfill the high responsibilities placed in me as president of the Soviet Union."

List
N. Portrait Name
(birth–death)		 Term of office Tenure
(years and days)		 Election Party Vice President Prime Ministers
1 Mikhail Gorbachev
(1931–)
(89 years old)		 15 March
1990		 19 August
1991[lower-alpha 2]
(resigned)		 1 years,

285 days

 1990 Communist Party of the
Soviet Union		 Office vacant
(15 March 1990 – 27 December 1990)		 Nikolai
Ryzhkov
Gennady Yanayev Valentin
Pavlov
Office abolished Ivan
Silayev
—
Gennady Yanayev

(1937–2010)

(73 years old)

 19 August 1991 21 August 1991 3 days — Communist Party of the
Soviet Union		 Office vacant Valentin Pavlov

History

Leaders of the Communist party voted on establishing a presidency on 7 February 1990.[5]

The first and only presidential election took place on 14 March 1990. The Congress of People's Deputies decided that they would elect the first president into a five-year term, then turn over presidential elections to the public beginning in the planned 1995 presidential election.

gollark: No longer shall we suffer the tyranny of sorting these chests by hand!
gollark: Also, I'm going to look at setting up a ME system.
gollark: So four.
gollark: There's the one in your base, and I think narwhalz has one.
gollark: I think there are about four smelteries around now...

See also

Notes
  1. Formally abolished on 25 December.
  2. De facto lost power during the 1991 August Coup. Formally resigned on 25 December.

References
  1. O’Clery, Conor (2011). Moscow, December 25, 1991: The Last Day of the Soviet Union. New York: Public Affairs. p. 120. Retrieved 15 August 2018.
  2. 1977 Soviet Constitution with amendments of 1989–1990. Chapter 15.1: President of the Soviet Union Archived 16 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Soviet Law from 14 March 1990 N 1360-I "On establishment of the Presidency of the Soviet Union and amendments and additions to the Constitution (Basic Law) of the Soviet Union". Article III
  4. "Soviet Union – The U.S.S.R. from 1953 to 1991". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  5. Dobbs, Michael (8 February 1990). "SOVIET PARTY VOTES TO DROP MONOPOLY ON POWER". The Washington Post. Retrieved 5 March 2019.
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