The president of the Federal Executive Council was the head of government of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, from the adoption of the 1963 constitution until the complete breakup of the country in 1992. Most non-Yugoslav sources referred to the post as "Prime Minister."
The 1953 Yugoslav constitutional law proclaimed the country to be a socialist state and abolished the institutions of prime minister and Government that had existed since the country's establishment in 1918.[1] A new office of president of the Republic was created for Yugoslav communist leader Josip Broz Tito which would be both the country's head of state and would simultaneously preside over the new Federal Executive Council (FEC). The then FEC was fundamentally different from governments to date. It was made up of 30 to 45 members elected from the Federal Assembly with only five of these members becoming state secretaries for one of five secretariats (rather than ministries) and two or more members becoming Vice President of the Federal Executive Council.[2] Government ministries to date were dissolved and their work continued by various Federal Administrations headed by appointed directors.
The 1963 Yugoslav constitution separated some of the executive roles of the president of the Republic and moved them to the new office of president of the FEC who would preside over that body.[3] The president of the FEC would be elected by the Federal Assembly upon their nomination by the president of the Republic.
| Head of Government | Lifespan | Republic | Term of office | Party | Note | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petar Stambolić | 1912–2007 | SR Serbia | 29 June 1963 | 16 May 1967 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | ||||
| Mika Špiljak | 1916–2007 | SR Croatia | 16 May 1967 | 18 May 1969 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | ||||
| Mitja Ribičič | 1919–2013 | SR Slovenia | 18 May 1969 | 30 July 1971 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | ||||
| Džemal Bijedić | 1917–1977 | SR Bosnia and Herzegovina | 30 July 1971 | 18 January 1977 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Died in office. | |||
| Veselin Đuranović (two terms) | 1925–1997 | SR Montenegro | 18 January 1977 | 16 May 1982 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | ||||
| Milka Planinc | 1924–2010 | SR Croatia | 16 May 1982 | 15 May 1986 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | ||||
| Branko Mikulić | 1928–1994 | SR Bosnia and Herzegovina | 15 May 1986 | 16 March 1989 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia | Resigned on 30 December 1988, amid widespread protests. | |||
| Ante Marković | 1924–2011 | SR Croatia | 16 March 1989 | 20 December 1991 | League of Communists of Yugoslavia (until January 1990) | Last prime minister of Yugoslavia. The pan-Yugoslav League of Communists of Yugoslavia was dissolved in January 1990, Marković formed his own party, the Union of Reform Forces. | |||
| Union of Reform Forces (from January 1990) | |||||||||
| Aleksandar Mitrović (acting) | 1933–2012 | SR Serbia | 20 December 1991 | 14 July 1992 | Socialist Party of Serbia | Acting President of the FEC as the then Vice President. | |||