This article lists the heads of state of Yugoslavia from the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kingdom of Yugoslavia) in 1918 until the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992.

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a hereditary monarchy ruled by the House of Karađorđević from 1918 until World War II. After the war, SFR Yugoslavia was headed first by Ivan Ribar, the President of the Presidency of the National Assembly (the parliamentary speaker), and then by President Josip Broz Tito from 1953 up until his death in 1980. Afterwards, the Presidency of Yugoslavia assumed the role of a collective head of state, with the title of President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia rotating among the representatives of the republics and autonomous provinces that composed the Presidency. However, until 1990 the position of leader of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia was usually the most powerful position, most often coinciding with the President of the Presidency. With the introduction of multi-party system in 1990, individual republics elected their own heads of state, but the country's head of state continued to rotate among appointed representatives of republics and autonomous provinces until the country dissolved two years later.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia

The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was created by the unification of the Kingdom of Serbia (the Kingdom of Montenegro had united with Serbia five days previously, while the regions of Kosovo, Vojvodina and Vardar Macedonia were parts of Serbia prior to the unification) and the provisional State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs (itself formed from territories of the former Austria-Hungary) on 1 December 1918.

Until 6 January 1929, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was a parliamentary monarchy. On that day, King Alexander abolished the Vidovdan Constitution (adopted in 1921), prorogued the National Assembly and introduced a personal dictatorship (so-called 6 January Dictatorship). He officially renamed the country Kingdom of Yugoslavia on 3 October 1929 and, although granted the 1931 Constitution, continued to rule as a de facto absolute monarch until his assassination on 9 October 1934, during a state visit to France. After his assassination, parliamentary monarchy was put back in place.

The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was defeated and occupied on 17 April 1941 after the German invasion. The monarchy was formally abolished and the republic proclaimed on 29 November 1945.

All monarchs were members of the Karađorđević dynasty. Peter I, previously King of Serbia (since the May Coup in 1903 against the Obrenović dynasty), was proclaimed King by representatives of South Slav states. The royal family continued through his son (Alexander) and his grandson (Peter II).

List

NameReign Portrait Birth Marriages Death Succession right Note Peter I1 December 191816 August 1921() 29 June 1844BelgradeSon of Alexander Karađorđević, Prince of Serbia and Persida Nenadović Princess Zorka of Montenegro30 July 18835 children 16 August 1921Belgradeaged 77 Previously King of Serbia (June 15, 1903 – December 1, 1918),proclaimed King by representatives of South Slav states Held the title "King of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes". Prince Alexander served as regent in his final years. Alexander16 August 19219 October 1934() 16 December 1888CetinjeSon of Peter I and Princess Zorka of Montenegro Maria of Yugoslavia8 June 19223 children 9 October 1934Marseilleaged 45 Son of the preceding Changed title to "King of Yugoslavia" in 1929.Assassinated in Marseille. Paul9 October 193427 March 1941() 27 April 1893Saint PetersburgSon of Prince Arsen of Yugoslavia and Aurora Pavlovna Demidova Olga of Greece and Denmark22 October 19233 children 14 September 1976Parisaged 83 Cousin of the preceding Served as regent for Peter II, together with Radenko Stanković and Ivo Perović. Peter II9 October 193429 November 1945() 6 September 1923BelgradeSon of Alexander and Maria of Yugoslavia Alexandra of Greece and Denmark20 March 19441 child 3 November 1970Denveraged 47 Son of the preceding Reigned under the regency until the coup d'état on 27 March 1941; exiled on 17 April 1941 and deposed on 29 November 1945.

SFR Yugoslavia

After the German invasion and fragmentation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, partisans formed the Anti-Fascist Council for the National Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOJ) in 1942. On 29 November 1943 an AVNOJ conference proclaimed the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia, while negotiations with the royal government in exile continued. After the liberation of Belgrade on 20 October 1944, the Communist-led government on 29 November 1945 declared King Peter II deposed and proclaimed the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia.

From 1945 to 1953, the President of the Presidency of the National Assembly was the office of the Yugoslav head of state. The post was held by Ivan Ribar.

From 1953 to 1963, Josip Broz Tito simultaneously held the offices of the President of the Republic (head of state) and the President of the Federal Executive Council (head of government), which were combined under the terms of a recent constitutional amendment. The 1963 Constitution renamed the state as Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, and divided the office of the President of the Republic from that of President 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.Constitution of 1963

The 1974 Constitution provided for a collective federal 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 elected by parliament as President for Life, who thus chaired the collective presidency on a permanent basis. After his death in 1980, one member was annually elected President of the Presidency and performed many of the personal duties expected of a president, though the collective presidency as a whole remained head of state.

List

Portrait Name Representing Term of office Party Notes Took office Left office Time in office President of the Presidency of the National Assembly 1 Ivan Ribar — 1 December 1945 14 January 1953 Communist Party of Yugoslavia President 1 Josip Broz Tito — 14 January 1953 4 May 1980 League of Communists of Yugoslavia Presidents of the Presidency 1 Lazar Koliševski SR Macedonia 4 May 1980 15 May 1980 League of Communists of Yugoslavia 2 Cvijetin Mijatović SR Bosnia and Herzegovina 15 May 1980 15 May 1981 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 3 Sergej Kraigher SR Slovenia 15 May 1981 15 May 1982 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 4 Petar Stambolić SR Serbia 15 May 1982 15 May 1983 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 5 Mika Špiljak SR Croatia 15 May 1983 15 May 1984 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 6 Veselin Đuranović SR Montenegro 15 May 1984 15 May 1985 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 7 Radovan Vlajković SAP Vojvodina 15 May 1985 15 May 1986 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 8 Sinan Hasani SAP Kosovo 15 May 1986 15 May 1987 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 9 Lazar Mojsov SR Macedonia 15 May 1987 15 May 1988 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 10 Raif Dizdarević SR Bosnia and Herzegovina 15 May 1988 15 May 1989 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia 11 Janez Drnovšek SR Slovenia 15 May 1989 15 May 1990 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia Liberal Democracy of Slovenia 12 Borisav Jović SR SerbiaR Serbia 15 May 1990 15 May 1991 year League of Communists of Yugoslavia Socialist Party of Serbia Sejdo Bajramović — 16 May 1991 30 June 1991 Socialist Party of Serbia 13 Stjepan Mesić R Croatia 30 June 1991 5 December 1991 Croatian Democratic Union Branko Kostić — 5 December 1991 15 June 1992 Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro

Timeline

See also List of Yugoslav regents List of deputy heads of state of Yugoslavia Prime Minister of Yugoslavia Leader of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia President of Serbia and Montenegro Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina President of Croatia List of presidents of Croatia President of Montenegro List of presidents of Montenegro List of heads of state of Montenegro President of North Macedonia President of Serbia List of presidents of Serbia List of heads of state of Serbia President of Slovenia

References