The Presidential Council of the Hungarian People's Republic was the collective presidency of Hungary during the Communist era. It was created in 1949, following the enactment of a new, Soviet-style constitution that year. As the standing body of the National Assembly (the supreme state organ), it was originally vested with broad powers during the interim of parliamentary sessions. It exercised most of the Assembly's powers between sessions, but could not amend the Constitution. The Presidential Council could also issue edicts in lieu of law. On paper, these edicts had to be ratified by the Assembly at its next session to remain in effect. However, the principles of democratic centralism made such ratification a formality, meaning these edicts de facto had the force of law.
Its jurisdiction was limited throughout the moderate liberalization witnessed during the Kadar era. Along with the state itself, it was abolished on 23 October 1989.
The National Assembly, upon the recommendation of the Presidential Council, elected and relieved the chairman and ministers of the Council of Ministers of their duties.
List of chairmen of the Presidential Council
Parties'
Picture Name(Birth–Death)Took officeLeft office Political Party1Árpád Szakasits(1888–1965)23 August 194926 April 1950MDP2Sándor Rónai(1892–1965)26 April 195014 August 19523István Dobi(1898–1968)14 August 195225 October 1956(3)25 October 195614 April 1967MSZMP4Pál Losonczi(1919–2005)14 April 196725 June 19875Károly Németh(1922–2008)25 June 198729 June 19886Brunó Ferenc Straub(1914–1996)29 June 198823 October 1989Independent
List of vice-chairmen of the Presidential Council
Two vice presidents served simultaneously. They were deputy heads of state.
Name PeriodKároly Kiss1949–1951István Kovács1951–1952József Révai1953–1958Károly Kiss1958–1961György Marosán1961–1963Sándor Gáspár1963–1988István Sarlós1988–1989 Name PeriodDániel Nagy1949–1963Ödön Kisházi1963–1975Rezső Trautmann1975–1989
See also List of heads of state of Hungary during the Hungarian People's Republic (1949–1989) List of vice presidents of the Presidential Council of Hungary