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Soviet Union [USSR] Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet served as the highest organ of state power
between sittings of the Congress of People's Deputies. The Supreme
Soviet formally appointed the chairman of the Council of Ministers,
ratified or rejected his candidates for ministerial posts and
supervised their work, and adopted economic plans and budgets and
reported on their implementation. Through its chairman, the Supreme
Soviet represented the country in formal diplomacy. It also had the
authority to appoint the Defense Council, confer military and
diplomatic ranks, declare war, ratify treaties, and repeal acts of
the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the chairman of the Supreme
Soviet, and the Council of Ministers.
The Supreme Soviet has traditionally delegated its powers to
the government bodies it has elected and nominally supervised. The
Supreme Soviet reserved the right to review and formally approve
their actions, and in the past it always gave this approval.
Actions of other government bodies elected by the Supreme Soviet
became law with force equal to the Supreme Soviet's own decisions
(see Soviet Union USSR - Administrative Organs
, this ch.). The commissions and
committees have played a minor role in ensuring that the language
of legislation was uniform. In 1989 they took an active role in
judging the qualifications of candidates for ministerial bodies and
in questioning governmental operations.
Data as of May 1989
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