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President Of The Soviet Union




The office had not existed until 1990; previously the head of Soviet state had been the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR ('''Chairman of the All-Union Executive Committee''', '''ВЦИК''') from 1922-1938, the '''Chairman of the Presidium Of The Supreme Soviet ''' from 1938-1989, then the '''Chairman of the Supreme Soviet''' in 1989-90.

From the mid- 1920s on, all effective Executive political power was in the hands of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with the Chairman exercising largely symbolic and Figurehead duties. Starting with Leonid Brezhnev in 1977 , four General Secretaries simultaneously served as Chairmen of the Supreme Soviet during their time in office.

List of Heads of State of Soviet Russia ( 1917 - 1922 ) and the USSR (1922- 1991 ):

  • Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets

  • :''Note:'' The first Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets elected in June 1917 was not a governing body and its chairman was not the head of Russian state. This changed at the Second All-Russian Congress of Soviets during the October Revolution .





  • Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR

  • ---Mikhail Gorbachev ( May 25 , 1989 - March 15 , 1990)


:''Note:'' On March 15, 1990 most constitutional powers were transferred to the newly created office of the President of the Soviet Union. Anatoly Lukyanov was elected Chairman of the Supreme Soviet to replace Mikhail Gorbachev. Although the Chairman's office retained its name, it was now that of a parliamentary speaker, not a head of state. Real executive powers were retained by Mikhail Gorbachev.