List of heads of state of Yugoslavia

This is a List of Heads of State of Yugoslavia from the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918 until the end of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992.

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a monarchy ruled by the House of Karađorđević from 1918 up until World War II. The SFR Yugoslavia was headed first by Ivan Ribar, the President of the Presidency of the People's Assembly (president of the parliament), and then by President Josip Broz Tito until his death in 1980, when the a collective federal presidency rotated the presidency among the republic representatives. With the reforms in 1990, individual republics elected their own heads of state, but the country's head of state continued to rotate among appointed representatives of the republics until the county's dissolution.

Contents

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was created by the union of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs with the Kingdom of Serbia on 1 December 1918. The Kingdom was renamed the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. All monarchs were members of the House of Karađorđević. Peter I, previously King of Serbia, was proclaimed King by representatives of South Slav states. The royal family continued through his son and his grandson.

Name Portrait Birth Marriages Death Succession right Royal house Note
Peter I
1 December 1918–
16 August 1921
29 June 1844
Belgrade
son of Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia and Persida Nenadović
Princess Zorka of Montenegro
1883
5 children
16 August 1921
Belgrade
aged 77
previously King of Serbia,
proclaimed King by representatives of South Slav states
House of
Karađorđević
Held the title "King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes". Prince Alexander served as regent in his final years.
Alexander I
16 August 1921–
9 October 1934
16 December 1888
Cetinje
son of Peter I and Princess Zorka of Montenegro
Maria of Romania
8 June 1922
3 children
9 October 1934
Marseilles
aged 45
son of the preceding House of
Karađorđević
Proclaimed "King of Yugoslavia" in 1929.
Assassinated in Marseilles.
Peter II
9 October 1934-
29 November 1945
6 September 1923
Belgrade
son of Alexander I and Maria of Romania
Alexandra of Greece and Denmark
20 March 1944
1 child
3 November 1970
Denver
aged 47
son of the preceding House of
Karađorđević
Prince Paul acted as regent until ousted on 27 March 1941; exiled on 17 April 1941 and deposed on 29 November 1945.

SFR Yugoslavia

President of Yugoslavia
Former political post
Standard of the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (used 1953-1992)
Stjepan Mesić
Predecessor
Successor Franjo Tuđman
Dobrica Ćosić
Alija Izetbegović
Kiro Gligorov
Milan Kučan
First officeholder Ivan Ribar
Last officeholder Stjepan Mesić
Political office started 29 December 1945
Political office ended 3 October 1991
Current pretender None

After the German invasion and fragmentation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, partisans formed the Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) in 1942. On 29 November 1943 a AVNOJ conference proclaimed the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, while negotiations with the royal government in exile continued. After the liberation of Belgrade, the Communist-led government on 29 November 1945 declared King Petar II deposed and proclaimed the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. In 1963, the state was renamed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Since 1974, Yugoslavia was headed by a collective presidency, consisting of representatives of the six republics, the two autonomous provinces within Serbia and (until 1988) the President of the League of Communists. The collective was first chaired by Tito, who was President for life. After his death in 1980, one member was annually elected Chairman of the Presidency and acted as head of state. For other leading officials of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, see List of leaders of SFR Yugoslavia.

In 1963 the new Constitution renamed the state as Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and divided the office of the President from the Presidency of the Federal Council, even if the President of the Republic retained the power to preside over the Government when it met, on the French model.[1] In 1974, a new Constitution planned a collective presidency, consisting of representatives of the six republics, the two autonomous provinces within Serbia and (until 1988) the President of the League of Communists, with a Chairman in rotation. Notwithstanding, this constitutional provision was suspended because Tito was declared President for life. After his death in 1980, one member was annually elected President of the Presidency and acted as head of state. For other leading officials of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, see List of leaders of SFR Yugoslavia.

      League of Communists of Yugoslavia       Socialist Party of Serbia       Croatian Democratic Union       Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro

Order Head of State Lifespan Took office Left office Party Representing Note
President of the Presidency of the People's Assembly
1945-1953
N/A Ivan Ribar 1881–1968 29 December 1945 14 January 1953 Communist Party of Yugoslavia
(party renamed)
N/A As the President of the Presidency (speaker) of the Yugoslav People's Assembly, Ribar also served as the head of state 1945-1953. The Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) was reorganized and renamed into the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (SKJ) on November 2, 1952.
League of Communists of Yugoslavia
(party renamed)
President
1953-1974
1 Josip Broz Tito 1892–1980 14 January 1953 16 May 1974 League of Communists of Yugoslavia N/A Office of the President of Yugoslavia instituted.
Presidents of the Presidency
1974-1992
1 Josip Broz Tito 1892–1980 16 May 1974 4 May 1980 League of Communists of Yugoslavia N/A Collective head of state instituted: the Yugoslav Presidency headed by a President of the Presidency. Josip Broz Tito declared president for life.
2 Lazar Koliševski 1914–2000 4 May 1980 15 May 1980 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Macedonia Chairman of the collective head of state.
3 Cvijetin Mijatović 1913–1993 15 May 1980 15 May 1981 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairman of the collective head of state.
4 Sergej Kraigher 1914–2001 15 May 1981 15 May 1982 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Slovenia Chairman of the collective head of state.
5 Petar Stambolić 1912–2007 15 May 1982 15 May 1983 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Serbia Chairman of the collective head of state.
6 Mika Špiljak 1916–2007 15 May 1983 15 May 1984 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Croatia Chairman of the collective head of state.
7 Veselin Đuranović 1925–1997 15 May 1984 15 May 1985 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Montenegro Chairman of the collective head of state.
8 Radovan Vlajković 1922–2001 15 May 1985 15 May 1986 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SAP Vojvodina Chairman of the collective head of state.
9 Sinan Hasani 1922–2010 15 May 1986 15 May 1987 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SAP Kosovo Chairman of the collective head of state.
10 Lazar Mojsov 1920–2011 15 May 1987 15 May 1988 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Macedonia Chairman of the collective head of state.
11 Raif Dizdarević 1926– 15 May 1988 15 May 1989 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairman of the collective head of state.
12 Janez Drnovšek 1950–2008 15 May 1989 15 May 1990 League of Communists of Yugoslavia SR Slovenia Chairman of the collective head of state.
13 Borisav Jović 1928– 15 May 1990 15 May 1991 League of Communists of Yugoslavia (until January 1990) Serbia Chairman of the collective head of state. League of Communists of Yugoslavia dissolved into six separate parties. In Serbia the party was succeeded by the Socialist Party of Serbia.
  Socialist Party of Serbia
(from January 1990)
N/A Sejdo Bajramović
(acting)
1927–1994 16 May 1991 30 June 1991 Socialist Party of Serbia AP Kosovo Acting
14 Stjepan Mesić 1934– 30 June 1991 3 October 1991
(formally resigned
5 December 1991)
Croatian Democratic Union Croatia Chairman of the collective head of state. Last President of Yugoslavia.
N/A Branko Kostić
(acting)
1939– 3 October 1991 15 June 1992 Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro Montenegro Acting president. Installed by Serbia and Montenegro.

See also

References