Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia

Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia
Overview
TypeHighest forum[a]
ConvenorCentral Committee
Presiding organWorking Presidency
Electoral organCommission for the Verification of the Election
Delegate typesVoting delegate
Non-voting delegate
Guest delegate
Elected bodiesCentral Committee
Statutory Commission
Supervisory Commission
Others it deems necessary
Meeting place
Sava Centar, Beograd
SR Serbia, SFR Yugoslavia
(1978–1990)
Statute
"Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia"

The congress was the highest forum of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (LCY), the ruling party of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. It assessed the activities of the LCY organs elected at the last congress and adopted, amended and supplemented the statute and programme. The party programme discussed important issues in Yugoslavia's socialist development and the country's international affairs. The congress assessed, decided on the eligibility of and elected candidates put forward by the LCY branches to the Central Committee, the Commission on Statutory Questions, and the Supervisory Commission.[2]

The incumbent LCY president presided over the congress proceedings until the delegates elected the Working Presidency of the Congress and the Commission for the Verification of the Election of the Organs of the LCY (CVEO).[3] Upon the election of said bodies, the CVEO would analyse the reports submitted by the nominated and elected commissions of the LCY branches. In the event of any grievances regarding specific elections, the CVEO would start an investigation to assess the legitimacy of the election and report its findings to congress. Later, the CVEO would submit a proposal outlining the composition of the organs to be elected by the congress. Following the reports and suggestions made by the CVEO, the congress opened a hearing. Should any congress delegate have commented on the verification and election process, said delegate could submit a written comment to the CVEO. The LCY Central Committee, the Commission on Statutory Questions and the Supervisory Commission were elected by public voting, with delegates casting their votes on a proposed composition list for these organs rather than on individual candidates. Initially, there was a surplus of nominees to the number of seats up for election. The CVEO was empowered to propose one unified list, which meant that nominees who did not make the list were excluded from public vote. Congress delegates had the right to challenge individuals on the CVEO's list, and if that occurred, the member in question had to be elected by secret ballot. Ex officio members of the LCY Central Committee were not elected by congress and were verified by a session of the LCY Central Committee.[4]

In its last years, from 1974 until its dissolution (and from 1948 to 1952), the LCY convened the congress every fourth year. Earlier, from 1964 to 1974, the statute stipulated it was to be called every fifth year. From 1952 to 1964, it was convened every sixth year, and it was convened irregularly prior to the 5th Congress in 1948.[5] Only the LCY Central Committee could adopt a decision to convene the congress and had to do it at least three months before its opening. The decision had to include the proposed draft agenda and information on the preparatory work to convene it.[4][b] The LCY Central Committee could also convene an extraordinary congress on its initiative or at the request of the congress or conference of one of the LCY branches. If an extraordinary congress was to be convened, the LCY Central Committee had to make public the agenda and mode of preparation of relevant material as well as the justification for convening an extraordinary congress. The LCY Central Committee had to publicly decide on convening an extraordinary congress at least three months after the proposal had been made.[7] Part of congress preparatory work was electing congress delegates. A special decision of the LCY Central Committee determined the criteria for the election of congress delegates. They were to be elected in proportion to the number of members the LCY branch in question had. In addition to these delegates, a certain number of delegates from each LCY republican branch, the same number for each of them, were elected, as well as the “appropriate” number of delegates from the autonomous provinces and the party organisation in the Yugoslav People’s Army. Members of the LCY Central Committee, the Commission on Statutory Questions and the Supervisory Commissions had the same rights as congress delegates except the right to vote on the report and on the dissolution of the organ to which they belonged.[4]

  1. ^ 1969, Article 53 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 9th Congress.
  2. ^ 1982, Article 69 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 12th Congress.
  3. ^ 1982, Article 69 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 12th Congress; 1982, Article 70 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 12th Congress.
  4. ^ a b c 1982, Article 71 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 12th Congress.
  5. ^ Pleterski et al. 1985, pp. 356–357, 426–427 & 450–451.
  6. ^ 1969, Article 54 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 9th Congress.
  7. ^ 1982, Article 72 of the "Statute of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia" of the 12th Congress.


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