President of Yugoslavia

The President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, or the President of the Republic for short, was the head of state of that country from 14 January 1953 to 4 May 1980. Josip Broz Tito was the only person to occupy the office. Broz was also concurrently President of the Presidency of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. Broz was eventually declared president-for-life and with his death in 1980 the office was discontinued and the new office of President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia took its place.

The 1946 constitution defined the government of Yugoslavia headed by a president (commonly known as prime minister) as the highest administrative authority in the country. Broz served as Prime Minister during the entire period up to adoption of the new constitutional law in 1953. This law proclaimed the country to be a socialist republic and removed all previous references to a government, ministries, etc. Instead it defined the office of President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in place of the government. The President was to serve as both head of state and would also preside over the FEC, a body of 30-40 members some of whom would be selected to be federal secretaries. Broz moved from the position of Prime Minister to President on 14 January 1953 and was subsequently re-elected on 29 January 1954 and 19 April 19, 1958.

The 1963 constitution specifically gave Broz an unlimited number of terms. It also defined a new office of President of the Federal Executive Council which would head that institution rather than the President. Broz could still convene the Federal Executive Council, remained head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and concurrently still served as head of the communist party. He was re-elected by the Federal Assembly under this system again in 1963 and 1968.

Constitutional amendments in 1971 created a new collective presidency consisting of republican representatives, still presided over by the President of the Republic. The 1974 constitution gave the then 82-year old Broz an unlimited mandate, making him president-for-life. It also created a new rotating office of President of the Presidency which would take effect in the event of Broz's death. The sitting Vice President of the Presidency would succeed him in this case. This eventually occurred on 4 May 1980 when Lazar Koliševski became the first President of the Presidency upon Broz's death.