The president of the

Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yu ...

, or the president of the Republic for short, was the

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and ...

of that country from 14 January 1953 to 4 May 1980.

Josip Broz Tito Josip Broz ( sh-Cyrl, Јосип Броз, ; 7 May 1892 – 4 May 1980), commonly known as Tito (; sh-Cyrl, Тито, links=no, ), was a Yugoslav communist revolutionary and statesman, serving in various positions from 1943 until his death ...

was the only person to occupy the office. Tito was also concurrently President of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Tito was eventually declared president for life and with his death in 1980 the office was discontinued and the new office of President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia took its place. The 1946 constitution defined the government of Yugoslavia headed by a president (commonly known as prime minister) as the highest administrative authority in the country. Tito served as Prime Minister during the entire period up to adoption of the 1953 constitution. This law proclaimed the country to be a socialist republic and removed all previous references to a government, ministries, etc. Instead it defined the office of president and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in place of the government. The president was to serve as head of state and would also preside over the FEC, a body of 30–40 members, some of whom would be selected to be federal secretaries. Tito moved from the position of prime minister to president on 14 January 1953 and was subsequently re-elected on 29 January 1954 and 19 April 1958. The 1963 constitution specifically gave Tito an unlimited number of terms. It also defined a new office of

President of the Federal Executive Council The President of the Federal Executive Council was the head of government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, from the adoption of the 1963 constitution until the complete breakup of the country in 1992. Most non-Yugoslav sources refe ...

which would head that institution rather than the president. Tito could still convene the Federal Executive Council, remained head of state and commander-in-chief of the

Yugoslav People's Army The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska ar ...

, and concurrently still served as head of the communist party. He was re-elected by the Federal Assembly under this system again in 1963 and 1968. Constitutional amendments in 1971 created a new collective presidency consisting of republican representatives, still presided over by the president of the Republic. The 1974 constitution gave the then 82-year old Tito an unlimited mandate, making him president-for-life. It also created a new rotating office of President of the Presidency which would take effect in the event of Tito's death. The sitting vice president of the Presidency would succeed him in this case. This eventually occurred on 4 May 1980 when Lazar Koliševski became the first president of the presidency upon Tito's death.

List of presidents of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:President of Yugoslavia Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito Politics of Yugoslavia Government of Yugoslavia Heads of state of Yugoslavia 1953 establishments in Yugoslavia 1980 disestablishments in Yugoslavia Positions of authority Titles of national or ethnic leadership Titles held only by one person

List of presidents of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia

See also

References