Supreme Soviet
Encyclopedia
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet
(highest legislative body) in the Soviet Union
and the only one with the power to pass constitution
al amendments. It elected the Presidium
, formed the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court
, and appointed the Procurator General of the USSR.
Until Perestroika
and the partially free elections in 1989
, the Supreme Soviet functioned as a rubber stamp
to legislation originating from less representative but more powerful bodies, like the Politburo.
After 1989 it consisted of 542 deputies (down from previously 1,500). The meetings of the body were also more frequent from six to eight months a year. The Presidium
carried out the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Soviet when it was not in session.
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
(highest legislative body) in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and the only one with the power to pass constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
al amendments. It elected the Presidium
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was a Soviet governmental institution – a permanent body of the Supreme Soviets . This body was of the all-Union level , as well as in all Soviet republics and autonomous republics...
, formed the Council of Ministers, the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the USSR
The Supreme Court of the USSR was the supreme court of the Soviet Union during its existence. The Supreme Court of the USSR included the Military Collegium of the Supreme Court of the USSR and other elements which were not typical of Supreme Courts found in other countries, then or now.-See also:*...
, and appointed the Procurator General of the USSR.
Structure
The Supreme Soviet was made up of two chambers, each with equal legislative powers, with members elected for four-year terms:- The Soviet of the UnionSoviet of the UnionSoviet of the Union , was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the principles of Soviet democracy, and with the rule that there be one deputy for...
, elected on the basis of population with one deputy for every 300,000 people in the Soviet federation - The Soviet of NationalitiesSoviet of NationalitiesThe Soviet of Nationalities , was one of the two chambers of the Supreme Soviet of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot in accordance with the principles of Soviet democracy...
, supposed to represent the ethnic populations, with members elected on the basis of 32 deputies from each union republicRepublics of the Soviet UnionThe Republics of the Soviet Union or the Union Republics of the Soviet Union were ethnically-based administrative units that were subordinated directly to the Government of the Soviet Union...
(excluding the autonomous republics, autonomous oblastOblastOblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
s, and autonomous okrugOkrugOkrug is an administrative division of some Slavic states. The word "okrug" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "district", or "region"....
s in its territory, which would send in separate members), 11 from each autonomous republicAutonomous republics of the Soviet UnionAutonomous Soviet Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union were administrative units created for certain nations. The ASSRs had a status lower than the union republics of the Soviet Union, but higher than the autonomous oblasts and the autonomous okrugs....
, five from each autonomous oblast (region), and one from each autonomous okrugAutonomous okrugs of RussiaAutonomous okrug is a type of federal subject of Russia and simultaneously a type of administrative division of some federal subjects. As of 2008, the Russian Federation is divided into 83 federal subjects, of which four are avtonomnyye okruga Autonomous okrug (district, area, region) is a...
(district). The administrative units of the same type would send in the same number of members regardless of their size or population.
Until Perestroika
Perestroika
Perestroika was a political movement within the Communist Party of the Soviet Union during 1980s, widely associated with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev...
and the partially free elections in 1989
Soviet Union legislative election, 1989
In 1989, elections were held for the Congress of People's Deputies of the Soviet Union. The main elections were held on 26 March and a second round on 9 April...
, the Supreme Soviet functioned as a rubber stamp
Rubber stamp (politics)
A rubber stamp, as a political metaphor, refers to a person or institution with considerable de jure power but little de facto power; one that rarely disagrees with more powerful organs....
to legislation originating from less representative but more powerful bodies, like the Politburo.
After 1989 it consisted of 542 deputies (down from previously 1,500). The meetings of the body were also more frequent from six to eight months a year. The Presidium
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was a Soviet governmental institution – a permanent body of the Supreme Soviets . This body was of the all-Union level , as well as in all Soviet republics and autonomous republics...
carried out the day-to-day operations of the Supreme Soviet when it was not in session.
Chairmen of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1938–1989)
Also known as President of the USSR SS Presidium- Mikhail KalininMikhail KalininMikhail Ivanovich Kalinin , known familiarly by Soviet citizens as "Kalinych," was a Bolshevik revolutionary and the nominal head of state of Russia and later of the Soviet Union, from 1919 to 1946...
1938–1946 - Nikolay ShvernikNikolay ShvernikNikolay Mikhailovich Shvernik was a Russian politician, who was the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from March 19, 1946 until March 15, 1953...
1946–1953 - Kliment VoroshilovKliment VoroshilovKliment Yefremovich Voroshilov , popularly known as Klim Voroshilov was a Soviet military officer, politician, and statesman...
1953–1960 - Leonid BrezhnevLeonid BrezhnevLeonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
1960–1964 - Anastas MikoyanAnastas MikoyanAnastas Ivanovich Mikoyan was an Armenian Old Bolshevik and Soviet statesman during the rules of Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Nikita Khrushchev, and Leonid Brezhnev....
1964–1965 - Nikolai PodgornyNikolai PodgornyNikolai Viktorovich Podgorny was a Soviet Ukrainian statesman during the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine, or leader of the Ukrainian SSR, from 1957 to 1963 and as Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet from 1965 to 1977...
1965–1977 - Leonid BrezhnevLeonid BrezhnevLeonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
(second term) 1977–1982 - Yuri AndropovYuri AndropovYuri Vladimirovich Andropov was a Soviet politician and the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 12 November 1982 until his death fifteen months later.-Early life:...
1982–1984 - Konstantin ChernenkoKonstantin ChernenkoKonstantin Ustinovich Chernenko was a Soviet politician and the fifth General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. He led the Soviet Union from 13 February 1984 until his death thirteen months later, on 10 March 1985...
1984–1985 - Andrey Gromyko 1985–1988
- Mikhail GorbachevMikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
1 October 1988 – 25 May 1989
Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR (1989–1991)
Also known as President of the USSR Supreme Soviet- Mikhail GorbachevMikhail GorbachevMikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
25 May 1989 - 15 March 1990 - Anatoly LukyanovAnatoly LukyanovAnatoly Ivanovich Lukyanov is a Russian Communist politician who was the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR between 15 March 1990 and 22 August 1991. One of the founders of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation in 1993, he is described by its leader Gennady Zyuganov as the "Deng...
15 March 1990 - 22 August 1991