President of the Soviet Union (TheodoresTomfooleries)

President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Председатель Союза Советских Социалистических Республик
State Emblem of the Soviet Union
Flag of the Soviet Union
Incumbent Sabrican Garayev since 8 April 2024
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (formal)
Type	Head of state
Member of	Central Committee of the CPSU Council of Defence Supreme Soviet
Residence	Kremlin Senate, Moscow
Nominator	Presidium of the Supreme Soviet
Appointer	Supreme Soviet
Term length	Five years, renewable with no limit
Constituting instrument	Constitution of the Soviet Union
Precursor	Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet (1936-1989)
Inaugural holder	Grigory Romanov
Formation	May 25, 1989 (1989-05-25)
Deputy	President of the Supreme Soviet

The president of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Russian: Председатель Союза Советских Социалистических Республик, lit. 'Chairman of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics') is the head of state of the Soviet Union, nominated by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet and elected by members of the Supreme Soviet. It is constitutionally the highest position in the country, although de-facto its powers are surpassed by the General Secretary of the Communist Party. As the head of state, the president represents the Soviet Union both domestically and internationally, directs the activities of the Presidium, and is responsible for the country's defense as a secretary of the Council of Defence.

By law, the president must be a member of the Supreme Soviet. In practice, since Leonid Brezhnev in 1977, the position has been held by every succeeding General Secretary. The president also serves as a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party.

The tenure of the presidency is five years and renewable with no term limits.

Powers and duties

The powers of the presidency are, according to the constitution, as follows:

• Represent the Soviet Union diplomatically and domestically
• Ensure cooperation between the highest bodies of state power and administration
• Submit to the Supreme Soviet candidates for the posts of Chairman of the Council of Ministers, the People's Control Commission, the Supreme Court, and the Prosecutor General
• Promulgate the laws of the Soviet Union
• Confer military ranks and appoint judges of military tribunals
• Negotiate and sign international treaties of the USSR, accept credence and letters of recall from foreign diplomats and appoint and recall diplomats of the USSR in foreign states and diplomatic organisations
• Confers diplomatic ranks and other special ranks
• Confers orders and medals and honorary titles
• Decides on the admission of citizenship, renunciation and deprivation of citizenship, and the granting of asylum
• Grants pardons
• Declare states of emergency
• Issue general or partial mobilisation orders

All of these actions must be taken with the permission and assent of the Presidium, who the President is accountable towards.