Supreme Soviet

The Supreme Soviet (Russian: Верховный Совет, romanized: Verkhovny Sovet, lit. 'Supreme Council') 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, established in 1938, and were nearly identical.^[1]

Party-approved delegates to the Supreme Soviets were periodically elected unopposed in show elections.^[2] The first free or semi-free elections took place during perestroika in late 1980s, in which Supreme Soviets themselves were no longer directly elected. Instead, Supreme Soviets were appointed by directly elected Congresses of People's Deputies based somewhat on the Congresses of Soviets that preceded the Supreme Soviets. The soviets until then were largely rubber-stamp institutions, approving decisions handed to them by the Communist Party of the USSR or of each SSR.^[2]

The soviets met infrequently (often only twice a year for only several days) and elected the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, a permanent body, to act on their behalf while the soviet was not in session.^[3] The presidiums were also empowered to issue decrees in lieu of law. If such decrees were not ratified by the Supreme Soviet at its next session, they were to be considered revoked. In practice, the principles of democratic centralism meant this power of veto was almost never exercised, meaning that Presidium decrees de facto had the force of law.^[4]

Under the 1936 and 1977 Soviet Constitutions, the Presidium of a Supreme Soviet served as the collective head of state of its republic.^[5] The Supreme Soviets also elected Councils of Ministers (Councils of People's Commissars before 1946), which were executive bodies.

After the dissolution of the USSR in late December 1991, most of these soviets remained the legislatures of independent countries until Armenia, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan abandoned the system in 1995.

Supreme Soviets of the Soviet Republics

Soviet Republics dissolved before the dissolution of the Soviet Union

Soviet Republic	Supreme Soviet	Established	Disbanded	Succeeded by
/ Russia	Supreme Soviet of Russia Congress of People's Deputies of Russia Верховный Совет РСФСР (Российской Федерации) Съезд народных депутатов РСФСР (Российской Федерации)	1938 (Supreme Soviet of Russia) 1990 (Congress of People's Deputies of Russia)	1993	Constitutional Conference (1993) Federal Assembly (1993–present): • Federation Council • State Duma
Ukraine	Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR Верховный Совет Украинской ССР Верховна Рада Української РСР	1937	1991 (De facto) 1996 (De jure)	Verkhovna Rada
Byelorussia	Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR Верховный Совет Белорусской ССР Вярхоўны Савет Беларускай ССР	1938	1991 (De facto) 1994 (De jure)	Supreme Council (1994–96) National Assembly (1996–present)
Uzbekistan	Supreme Soviet of the Uzbek SSR Верховный Совет Узбекской ССР Ўзбекистон ССР Олий Совети	1938	1992	Supreme Council (1992–1995) Oliy Majlis (1995–present)
Kazakhstan	Supreme Soviet of the Kazakh SSR Верховный Совет Казахской ССР Қазақ ССР Жоғарғы Советі	1937	1993	Supreme Council (1993–95) Parliament (1996–present)
Georgia	Supreme Soviet of the Georgian SSR Верховный Совет Грузинской ССР საქართველოს სსრ უმაღლესი საბჭო	1938	1992	State Council (1992–1995) Parliament (1995–present)
Azerbaijan	Supreme Soviet of the Azerbaijan SSR Верховный Совет Азербайджа́нской ССР Азәрбаjҹан ССР Али Совети	1938	1995	National Assembly
Lithuania	Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR Верховный Совет Литовской ССР Lietuvos TSR Aukščiausioji Taryba	1940	1990	Supreme Council (1990–1992) Seimas (1992–present)
Moldavia	Supreme Soviet of the Moldavian SSR Верховный Совет Молдавской ССР Совиетул Супрем ал РСС Молдовеняскэ (Moldovan) Sovietul Suprem al RSS Moldovenească (Romanian)	1941	1993	Parliament
Latvia	Supreme Soviet of the Latvian SSR Верховный Совет Латвийской ССР Latvijas PSR Augstākā Padome	1940	1990	Supreme Council (1990–1993) Saeima (1993–present)
Kirghizia	Supreme Soviet of the Kirghiz SSR Верховный Совет Киргизской ССР Кыргыз ССР Жогорку Совети	1938	1994	Supreme Council
Tajikistan	Supreme Soviet of the Tajik SSR Верховный Совет Таджикской ССР Совети Олӣ РСС Тоҷикистон	1937	1994	Supreme Assembly
Armenia	Supreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR Верховный Совет Армянской ССР Հայկական ՍՍՀ Գերագույն Խորհուրդ	1938	1995	National Assembly
Turkmenia	Supreme Soviet of the Turkmen SSR Верховный Совет Туркменской ССР Түркменистан ССР Ёкары Советы	1938	1992	Assembly (1992–2021) National Council (2021–present)
Estonia	Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR Верховный Совет Эстонской ССР Eesti NSV Ülemnõukogu	1940	1992	Riigikogu
Karelo-Finnish SSR	Supreme Soviet of the Karelo-Finnish SSR Верховный Совет Карело-Финской ССР	1940	1956	Supreme Soviet [ru]

Supreme Soviets of the Autonomous Soviet Republics

Autonomous Republic	Supreme Soviet	Established	Disbanded	Succeeded by
Bashkiria	Supreme Soviet of the Bashkir ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Башкирской АССР Башҡорт АССР-ы Юғары Советы	1938	1995	State Assembly
Buryatia	Supreme Soviet of the Buryat ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Бурятской АССР Буряадай АССР-эй Верховно Совет	1938	1994	People's Khural
Karelia	Supreme Soviet of the Karelian ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Карельской АССР	1938 1956	1940 1994	Legislative Assembly
Tatarstan	Supreme Soviet of the Tatar ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Татарской АССР Татарстан АССР Югары Советы	1938	1995	State Council
Tuva	Supreme Soviet of the Tuvan ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Тувинской АССР Тыва АССР-ниң Дээди Соведи	1961	1993	Great Khural
Chuvashia	Supreme Soviet of the Chuvash ASSR (ru) Верховный Совет Чувашской АССР Чӑваш АССР Верховнӑй Совечӗ	1938	1994	State Council
Karakalpakstan	Supreme Soviet of the Karakalpak ASSR Верховный Совет Каракалпакской АССР Қарақалпақстан АССР Жоқарғы Совети	1938	1994	Supreme Council
Abkhazia	Supreme Soviet of the Abkhaz ASSR Верховный Совет Абхазской АССР Аҧснытәи АССР Иреиҳаӡоу Асовет	1938	1996	People's Assembly
Adjara	Supreme Soviet of the Adjarian ASSR Верховный Совет Аджарской АССР აჭარის ასსრ უმაღლესი საბჭო	1938	1991	Supreme Council
Nakhichevan	Supreme Soviet of the Nakhichevan ASSR Верховный Совет Нахичеванской АССР Нахчыван МССР Али Совети	1938	1990	Supreme Assembly (Nakhchivan)