The Central Executive Committee of the USSR (), which may be abbreviated as the CEC (), was the supreme governing body of the

USSR The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

in between sessions of the

All-Union Congress of Soviets The All-Union Congress of Soviets () was formally the supreme governing body of the Soviet Union from its formation (30 December 1922) until the adoption of its second constitution in 1936.David A. Law, ''Russian Civilization'', New York: Arno ...

from 1922 to 1938. The Central Executive Committee elected the Presidium, which, like its parent body, was the delegated governing authority when the other was not in session. The chairman of the Presidium, served as the ceremonial head of state of the USSR. The Central Executive Committee also elected the

Council of People's Commissars The Council of People's Commissars (CPC) (), commonly known as the ''Sovnarkom'' (), were the highest executive (government), executive authorities of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR), the Soviet Union (USSR), and the Sovi ...

which was its

executive Executive ( exe., exec., execu.) may refer to: Role or title * Executive, a senior management role in an organization ** Chief executive officer (CEO), one of the highest-ranking corporate officers (executives) or administrators ** Executive dir ...

and administrative organ. The Central Executive Committee of the USSR was established in 1922 by the

First All-Union Congress of Soviets The First All-Union Congress of Soviets () was a congress of representatives of Soviets of workers, peasants and Red Army deputies, held on December 30, 1922 in Moscow. The congress was attended by 2215 delegates (1727 from the Russian Socialist ...

, and was replaced by the

Presidium A presidium or praesidium is a council of executive officers in some countries' political assemblies that collectively administers its business, either alongside an individual president or in place of one. The term is also sometimes used for the ...

of the

Supreme Soviet The Supreme Soviet () was the common name for the legislative bodies (parliaments) of the Soviet socialist republics (SSR) in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). These soviets were modeled after the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, establ ...

in 1938. Initially the committee had four co-chairs, after 1925 there were seven. The Kazakh and Kirghiz SSRs were created in 1936 and did not have co-chairs in the committee, as it dissolved just two years later.

Description

The Central Executive Committee was created with the adoption of the

Treaty on the Creation of the USSR A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, conventio ...

in December 1922. The Central Executive Committee was elected by the

Congress of Soviets The Congress of Soviets was the supreme governing body of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and several other Soviet republics and national autonomies in the Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union from 1917 to 1936 and a somewhat simil ...

to govern on its behalf whenever the Congress of Soviets was not in session. The Central Executive Committee was convened by the Presidium of the Central Executive Committee, which was elected by the Central Executive Committee to govern on its behalf whenever it was not in session. The Central Executive Committee of the USSR should not be confused with the Central Executive Committees that operated in each of the Soviet Union's constituent republics. These were: * The

All-Russian Central Executive Committee The All-Russian Central Executive Committee () was (June – November 1917) a permanent body formed by the First All-Russian Congress of Soviets of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies (held from June 16 to July 7, 1917 in Petrograd), then became the ...

in the

RSFSR The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...

* The All-Byelorussian Central Executive Committee in the

Byelorussian SSR The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, Byelorussian SSR or Byelorussia; ; ), also known as Soviet Belarus or simply Belarus, was a republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). It existed between 1920 and 1922 as an independent state, and ...

* The

All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee All-Ukrainian Central Executive Committee () was a representative body of the All-Ukrainian Congress of Soviets. It was the supreme legislative, administrative, executive controlling state power of Soviet Ukraine (Ukrainian SSR) between the sessi ...

in the

Ukrainian SSR The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...

* The All-Caucasian Central Executive Committee of the Transacaucasian SFSR

List of the Central Executive Committees of the Soviet Union

* Central Executive Committee of the First Congress of Soviets (elected on 30 December 1922) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 30 December 1922 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 6 July 1923 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 6–12 November 1923 * Central Executive Committee of the Second Congress of Soviets (elected on 2 February 1924) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 2 February 1924 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 17–29 October 1924 ** 3rd session (Tbilisi) – 3–7 March 1925 * Central Executive Committee of the Third Congress of Soviets (elected on 20 May 1925) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 21 May 1925 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 12–25 April 1926 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 14–25 February 1927 * Central Executive Committee of the Fourth Congress of Soviets (elected on 26 April 1927) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 27 April 1927 ** 2nd session (Leningrad) – 15–20 October 1927 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 11–21 April 1928 ** 4th session (Moscow) – 3–15 December 1928 * Central Executive Committee of the Fifth Congress of Soviets (elected on 28 May 1929) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 29 May 1929 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 29 November – 8 December 1929 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 4–12 January 1931 * Central Executive Committee of the Sixth Congress of Soviets (elected on 17 March 1931) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 18 March 1931 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 22–28 December 1931 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 23–30 January 1933 ** 4th session (Moscow) – 28 December 1933 – 4 January 1934 * Central Executive Committee of the Seventh Congress of Soviets (elected on 6 February 1935) ** 1st session (Moscow) – 7–8 February 1935 ** 2nd session (Moscow) – 10–17 January 1936 ** 3rd session (Moscow) – 11–14 January 1937 ** 4th session (Moscow) – 7–9 July 1937

Leadership

Chairmen

The Presidium of the Central Executive Committee consisted of 21 members and included the President of the

Soviet of the Union The Soviet of the Union (, ''Sovet Soyuza''; , ''İttifaqı Soveti''; ; , Moldovan Cyrillic: ; ; ; ; ; , ''Bileleşigiň Geňeşi''; ) was the lower chamber of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the b ...

and the

Soviet of Nationalities The Soviet of Nationalities; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; was the upper chamber of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage in accordance with the principles of S ...

. A representative of each constituent republic (initially four) was elected one of the directors of the presidium. *

Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic The Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (Russian SFSR or RSFSR), previously known as the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and the Russian Soviet Republic, and unofficially as Soviet Russia,Declaration of Rights of the labo ...

Mikhail Kalinin Mikhail Ivanovich Kalinin (, ; 3 June 1946) was a Soviet politician and Russian Old Bolshevik revolutionary who served as the first chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (head of state) from 1938 until his resignation in 1946. From ...

(December 30, 1922 – January 12, 1938) *

Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic The Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, abbreviated as the Ukrainian SSR, UkrSSR, and also known as Soviet Ukraine or just Ukraine, was one of the Republics of the Soviet Union, constituent republics of the Soviet Union from 1922 until 1991. ...

Grigory Petrovsky Grigory Ivanovich Petrovsky (, ; 4 February 1878 – 10 January 1958) was a Ukrainian Soviet politician and Old Bolshevik. He participated in signing the Treaty on the Creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Treaty of Brest-L ...

(December 30, 1922 – January 12, 1938) *

Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR, Byelorussian SSR or Byelorussia; ; ), also known as Soviet Belarus or simply Belarus, was a Republics of the Soviet Union, republic of the Soviet Union (USSR). It existed between 1920 and 19 ...

Alexander Chervyakov Alexander Grigoryevich Chervyakov (Aliaksandr Charviakou, , ''Aliaksandr Ryhoravič Čarviakoŭ'' , ''Aleksandr Grigor'evič Červjakov''; 25 February 1892 — 16 June 1937) was a Soviet Union, Soviet Politician and revolutionary and one of the f ...

(December 30, 1922 – June 16, 1937) *

Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic , image_flag = Flag of the Transcaucasian SFSR (variant).svg , flag_type = Flag(1925–1936) , image_coat = Emblem of the Transcaucasian SFSR (1930-1936).svg , symbol_type = Emblem(1930–1936) ...

: **

Nariman Narimanov Nariman Karbalayi Najaf oghlu Narimanov (, ; – 19 March 1925) was an Azerbaijanis, Azerbaijani Bolsheviks, Bolshevik revolutionary, writer, publicist, politician and statesman. For just over one year, beginning in May 1920, Narimanov headed th ...

(December 30, 1922 – March 19, 1925) **

Gazanfar Musabekov Gazanfar Mahmud oghlu Musabeyov or Musabekov (, , – 9 February 1938) was an Azerbaijani Bolshevik revolutionary and Soviet statesman. He was Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Azerbaijan SSR from 1929 to 1931, and he headed t ...

(May 21, 1925 – June 1937) As more entities (usually previously

Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republics An Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (ASSR, ) was a type of Subdivisions of the Soviet Union, administrative unit in the Soviet Union (USSR), created for certain Demographics of the Soviet Union#Ethnic groups, ethnic groups to be the titular ...

) were promoted to the status of constituent republics of the USSR, they received representation among the directors of the Presidium: *

Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic The Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (, ), also known as Soviet Uzbekistan, the Uzbek SSR, UzSSR, or simply Uzbekistan and rarely Uzbekia, was a Republics of the Soviet Union, union republic of the Soviet Union. It was governed by the Communist ...

(from 1924): Fayzulla Khodzhayev (May 21, 1925 – June 17, 1937) *

Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic The Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic, also known as Soviet Turkmenistan, the Turkmen SSR, TuSSR, Turkmenistan, or Turkmenia, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union located in Central Asia existed as a republic from 1925 to 199 ...

(from 1925):

Nedirbay Aytakov Nedirbay Aytakov (); 1894 – October 28, 1938) was a Turkmenistani revolutionary and Soviet Union, Soviet politician. He was born in the Transcaspian Oblast. From May 21, 1925, to July 21, 1937, he was the chairman of the Turkmenistan Central E ...

(May 21, 1925 – 21 July 1937) *

Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic The Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic, also commonly known as Soviet Tajikistan, the Tajik SSR, TaSSR, or simply Tajikistan, was one of the constituent republics of the Soviet Union which existed from 1929 to 1991 in Central Asia. The Tajik Rep ...

(from 1929): ** Nusratullo Maksum (March 18, 1931 – January 4, 1934) ** Abdullo Rakhimbayev (January 4, 1934 – September 1937)

Presidium secretaries

* 1922–1935 Avel Yenukidze * 1935–1937 Ivan Akulov * 1937–1938 Aleksandr Gorkin

Soviet of the Union chairmen

Soviet of Nationalities chairmen

* 1927–?

Mykola Skrypnyk Mykola Oleksiiovych Skrypnyk (; – 7 July 1933), was a Ukrainian Bolshevik revolutionary and Communist leader who was a proponent of the Ukrainian Republic's independence, and later led the cultural Ukrainization effort in Soviet Ukraine. Whe ...

Powers

The

1924 Soviet Constitution The 1924 Constitution of the Soviet Union was the constitution of the Soviet Union adopted on 31 January 1924. History of the Constitution The 1924 Constitution was the first constitution of the Soviet Union and ratified by the Second Congres ...

defined the powers of the CEC as: * Calling of the Congresses of Soviets * Election of the

Council of the People's Commissars A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or nation ...

(Sovnarkom) * Adoption of decrees and legislative acts * Legislative and administrative actions assigned to it

Notes

References

{{Reflist

External links

The highest organs of state power of the USSR (Высшие органы государственной власти СССР)
Government of the Soviet Union Defunct bicameral legislatures 1922 establishments in the Soviet Union 1938 disestablishments in the Soviet Union Collective heads of state Congress of Soviets of the Soviet Union