The
Supreme Soviet (,
Verkhóvnyj Sovét, ) was the common name for the
legislative bodies (parliaments) of the
Soviet socialist republics (SSR) in the
Soviet Union. These soviets were modeled after the
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, established in 1938, and were nearly identical. Soviet-approved delegates to the Supreme Soviets were periodically elected in unopposed elections. The first free or semi-free elections were held during the
perestroika in late 1980s. The soviets were largely rubber stamp institutions, approving decisions handed to them by the
Communist Party of the Soviet Union or of each SSR. The soviets met infrequently (often only twice a year for only several days) and elected the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, a permanent body, to act on their behalf while the soviet was not in session. The chairman of the presidium was the head of state. The Supreme Soviets also elected the Council of Ministers, an executive body. After the
dissolution of the Soviet Union in late December, 1991, most of these soviets became the legislatures of independent countries.