The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (russian: Президиум Верховного Совета, Prezidium Verkhovnogo Soveta) was a body of
state power in the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
(USSR).
[The Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR (ПРЕЗИДИУМ ВЕРХОВНОГО СОВЕТА СССР)]
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
The ''Great Soviet Encyclopedia'' (GSE; ) is one of the largest Russian-language encyclopedias, published in the Soviet Union from 1926 to 1990. After 2002, the encyclopedia's data was partially included into the later ''Bolshaya rossiyskaya e ...
. The presidium was elected by joint session of both houses of the
Supreme Soviet to act on its behalf while the Supreme Soviet was not
in session. By the
1936
Events
January–February
* January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...
and
1977 Soviet Constitution, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet served as the
collective head of state of the USSR. In all its activities, the Presidium was accountable to the
Supreme Soviet of the USSR
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respubl ...
.
[
Beside the all-Union body they were also in all ]union republic
The Republics of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or the Union Republics ( rus, Сою́зные Респу́блики, r=Soyúznye Respúbliki) were national-based administrative units of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( ...
s (eg: Presidium
A presidium or praesidium is a council of executive officers in some political assemblies that collectively administers its business, either alongside an individual president or in place of one.
Communist states
In Communist states the presid ...
of the Supreme Soviet of the Russian SFSR
The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic, Russian SFSR or RSFSR ( rus, Российская Советская Федеративная Социалистическая Республика, Rossíyskaya Sovétskaya Federatívnaya Soci ...
, Presidium
A presidium or praesidium is a council of executive officers in some political assemblies that collectively administers its business, either alongside an individual president or in place of one.
Communist states
In Communist states the presid ...
of the Ukrainian SSR, etc.) and other regions including autonomous republics. Structure and functions of the presidiums in these republics were virtually identical.
During discussions in regard to adaptation of the 1936 Constitution of the Soviet Union, on proposition to elect the chairman of the Presidium in a nationwide election, Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (born Ioseb Besarionis dze Jughashvili; – 5 March 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power as General Secretar ...
argued:
Election
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was elected by the Supreme Soviet of the USSR
The Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( rus, Верховный Совет Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, r=Verkhovnyy Sovet Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respubl ...
at a joint session of both chambers at the first session of each after convocation. The deputies of the Presidium were appointed for the duration of the term of office of the Supreme Soviet. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR consisted of a chairman, a first vice-chairman (after 1977), his 15 deputies (one from each republic), a secretary, and 20 members. The Presidium was accountable to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for all its activities.
From 1938 to 1989, the chairman of the Presidium was reckoned as the USSR/Soviet Union's ''de jure'' head of state and was sometimes referred to as the "President of the USSR/Soviet Union" in non-Soviet sources.
The building of the Presidium
Its building, situated inside the Moscow Kremlin, was appropriately named the Kremlin Presidium
The Kremlin Presidium (The Administrative Building of the Kremlin, russian: Административный корпус Кремля, Administrativnyy korpus Kremlya), also denominated Building 14 (russian: 14-й корпус), was an edifice w ...
.
Constitutional powers
At inception
According to the 1936 Constitution of the USSR, as in force as enacted originally (and thus, at the establishment of the Presidium), the basic powers of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were:
* promulgation of decree
A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used ...
s ( ukases);
* interpretation of current Soviet laws;
*dissolution of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the basis of Article 47 of the 1936 Constitution of the USSR and scheduling new elections
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold Public administration, public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative ...
: implementing a national referendum
A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...
on its own initiative or at the request of one of the republics of the Union.
* abrogation of decrees, issued by the Council of Ministers and Council of Ministers of the republics of the Union in case there is a discrepancy with the law;
*relieving the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of his job and appointing Ministers of the USSR (between sessions of the Supreme Soviet) with the subsequent submittal for the Supreme Soviet's approval;
*establishment of orders and medals of the USSR and implementing the awarding procedures.
*establishment of honorary title
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
s of the USSR and their assignment.
*realization of the right to pardon;
*appointment and dismissal of the executive command of the Soviet Armed Forces;
*establishment of military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
and diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as the order of precedence at official processions, table seating ...
s and other special ranks;
*declaration of the general and partial mobilization;
* declaration of war in case of an attack on the USSR or in case when it was necessary to implement obligations of international mutual defense treaties;
*ratification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent that lacked the authority to bind the principal legally. Ratification defines the international act in which a state indicates its consent to be bound to a treaty if the parties inte ...
and denunciation of international treaties, signed by the USSR;
*representation of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (between its sessions) in its relations with parliaments of foreign countries;
*appointment and dismissal of Soviet plenipotentiaries
A ''plenipotentiary'' (from the Latin ''plenus'' "full" and ''potens'' "powerful") is a diplomat who has full powers—authorization to sign a treaty or convention on behalf of his or her sovereign. When used as a noun more generally, the word ' ...
in foreign countries;
*receiving of Letters of Credence and Letters of Recall from foreign diplomatic representatives, accredited in the USSR;
*declaration of the martial law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
in a given region or across the USSR in the interest of defending the USSR or preserving public order and state security.
The presidium also dealt with questions regarding the acquisition of the Soviet citizenship, its forfeiting or voluntary rejection.
When the Supreme Soviet was not in session, the Presidium carried out the Supreme Soviet's ordinary functions. It was also empowered to issue decrees in lieu of law, which were to be submitted to the Supreme Soviet at its next session. If such decrees were not ratified by the Supreme Soviet, they were to be considered revoked. In practice, the Supreme Soviet's infrequent sessions (it usually sat for only one week per year) and the principles of democratic centralism meant that Presidium decrees ''de facto'' had the force of law. It was not unheard of for the CPSU Politburo to bypass the full Supreme Soviet and enact major laws as Presidium decrees. While the Supreme Soviet's power of veto was almost never exercised in practice, it was not unheard of for the Politburo to enact Presidium decrees into law without even the formality of submitting them to the Supreme Soviet for ratification.
At abolition
According to the 1977 Constitution of the USSR
The 1977 Constitution of the Soviet Union, officially the Constitution (Fundamental Law) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 7 October 1977 until its Dissolution of the Soviet Union, ...
, as in force at the union's dissolution (and thus, at the abolition of the Presidium), the basic powers of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR were:
* organization of the work of the Supreme Soviet;
* preparation of meetings of the Congress of People's Deputies and sessions of the Supreme Soviet;
* coordination of the work of the committees of the Supreme Soviet;
* organization of nationwide discussion of legislative bills and "other very important matters of state".
By then, most of the Presidium's former powers were reassigned to the whole Supreme Soviet and to the President of the USSR.
List of chairmen
List of vice chairmen
See also
*List of heads of state of the Soviet Union
The Constitution of the Soviet Union recognised the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and the earlier Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the Congress of Soviets as the highest organs of state authority in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics ( ...
* General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
*
*
Notes
References
Further reading
*
*
{{Authority control
1938 establishments in the Soviet Union
1991 disestablishments in the Soviet Union
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
bg:Председател на Президиума на Върховния съвет на СССР
ru:Председатель Президиума Верховного Совета СССР