The Soviet Politburo

1917–1991

The Politburo was the small body the Central Committee elected from its own ranks, and the place where supreme power in the Soviet Union actually sat. It divided into voting full members and non-voting candidate members, and from 1952 to 1966 bore the name Presidium of the Central Committee.

October 1917: the Politburo of the uprising 1917.10

The name first appeared on 23 (10) October 1917, when the Central Committee formed a seven-man Politburo to direct the armed uprising. It never became a standing body and never actually met.

Person Tenure Notes
Vladimir Lenin October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1924.01 1924.01 died in office
Leon Trotsky October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1926.10 1926.10 removed · Deported in 1929, assassinated in 1940
Joseph Stalin October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1953.03 1953.03 died in office
Lev Kamenev October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1926.01Candidate 1926.01–1926.10 1926.10 removed · Executed in 1936
Grigory Zinoviev October 1917 PolitburoCandidate 1919.03–1921.03Full member 1921.03–1926.07 1926.07 removed · Executed in 1936
Grigory Sokolnikov October 1917 PolitburoCandidate 1924.06–1926.01 1926.01 not re-elected · Died in prison in 1939
Andrei Bubnov October 1917 Politburo Executed in 1938

The Lenin years 1919–1924

The 8th Congress of March 1919 created the standing Politburo of five full members plus non-voting candidates, and through the civil war it became the real supreme decision-making body of party and state.

Person Tenure Notes
Vladimir Lenin October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1924.01 1924.01 died in office
Leon Trotsky October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1926.10 1926.10 removed · Deported in 1929, assassinated in 1940
Joseph Stalin October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1953.03 1953.03 died in office
Lev Kamenev October 1917 PolitburoFull member 1919.03–1926.01Candidate 1926.01–1926.10 1926.10 removed · Executed in 1936
Nikolay Krestinsky Full member 1919.03–1921.03 1921.03 not re-elected · Dropped after siding with Trotsky in the trade-union debate; executed in 1938
Grigory Zinoviev October 1917 PolitburoCandidate 1919.03–1921.03Full member 1921.03–1926.07 1926.07 removed · Executed in 1936
Nikolai Bukharin Candidate 1919.03–1924.06Full member 1924.06–1929.11 1929.11 removed · Executed in 1938
Mikhail Kalinin Candidate 1919.03–1926.01Full member 1926.01–1946.06 1946.06 died in office
Elena Stasova Candidate 1919.09–1920.04 1920.04 not re-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov Candidate 1921.03–1926.01Full member 1926.01–1957.06 1957.06 removed · The Anti-Party Group affair
Alexei Rykov Full member 1922.04–1930.12 1930.12 removed · Executed in 1938
Mikhail Tomsky Full member 1922.04–1930.07 1930.07 not re-elected · Died by suicide in 1936
Jānis Rudzutaks Candidate 1923.04–1926.07Full member 1926.07–1932.02Candidate 1934.02–1937.05 1937.05 arrested · Executed in 1938

The succession struggle and the Stalin majority 1924–1934

For the decade after Lenin's death the Politburo was the battlefield of the succession. Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev, then Bukharin, Rykov and Tomsky were pushed out in turn, their places filled by people Stalin had raised through the Secretariat.

Person Tenure Notes
Felix Dzerzhinsky Candidate 1924.06–1926.07 1926.07 died in office
Mikhail Frunze Candidate 1924.06–1925.10 1925.10 died in office
Kliment Voroshilov Full member 1926.01–1960.07 1960.07 retired
Nikolai Uglanov Candidate 1926.01–1929.04 1929.04 removed · Right Opposition; executed in 1937
Grigory Petrovsky Candidate 1926.01–1939.03 1939.03 not re-elected
Andrei Andreyev Candidate 1926.07–1930.12Full member 1932.02–1952.10 1952.10 not re-elected
Lazar Kaganovich Candidate 1926.07–1930.07Full member 1930.07–1957.06 1957.06 removed · The Anti-Party Group affair
Sergei Kirov Candidate 1926.07–1930.07Full member 1930.07–1934.12 1934.12 assassinated
Anastas Mikoyan Candidate 1926.07–1935.02Full member 1935.02–1966.04 1966.04 retired
Sergo Ordzhonikidze Candidate 1926.07–1926.11Full member 1930.12–1937.02 1937.02 died by suicide
Vlas Chubar Candidate 1926.11–1935.02Full member 1935.02–1938.06 1938.06 removed · Executed in 1939
Valerian Kuibyshev Full member 1927.12–1935.01 1935.01 died in office
Stanislav Kosior Candidate 1927.12–1930.07Full member 1930.07–1938.05 1938.05 arrested · Executed in 1939
Karl Bauman Candidate 1929.04–1930.07 1930.07 not re-elected · Executed in 1937
Sergei Syrtsov Candidate 1929.06–1930.12 1930.12 removed · Executed in 1937

The Great Terror years 1934–1941

The Terror did not spare the Politburo itself: several of its members in these years were shot or driven to suicide. Their places passed to the generation of Stalin's last years, Beria, Zhdanov, Khrushchev and Malenkov.

Person Tenure Notes
Pavel Postyshev Candidate 1934.02–1938.01 1938.01 removed · Executed in 1939
Robert Eikhe Candidate 1935.02–1938.04 1938.04 arrested · Executed in 1940
Andrei Zhdanov Candidate 1935.02–1939.03Full member 1939.03–1948.08 1948.08 died in office
Nikolai Yezhov Candidate 1937.10–1939.03 1939.03 not re-elected · Executed in 1940
Nikita Khrushchev Candidate 1938.01–1939.03Full member 1939.03–1964.10 1964.10 removed
Lavrentiy Beria Candidate 1939.03–1946.03Full member 1946.03–1953.07 1953.07 removed · Arrested in June 1953, executed that December
Nikolai Shvernik Candidate 1939.03–1952.10Full member 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1953.03–1957.06Full member 1957.06–1966.04 1966.04 retired
Georgy Malenkov Candidate 1941.02–1946.03Full member 1946.03–1957.06 1957.06 removed · The Anti-Party Group affair
Nikolai Voznesensky Candidate 1941.02–1947.02Full member 1947.02–1949.03 1949.03 removed · The Leningrad Affair; executed in 1950
Alexander Shcherbakov Candidate 1941.02–1945.05 1945.05 died in office

The war and Stalin’s last years 1941–1953

In wartime real power sat in the State Defence Committee, and after the war the Politburo was hollowed out by Stalin's inner-circle politics. The 19th Congress of 1952 renamed it the Presidium and enlarged it, but within days of Stalin's death it was cut back to a small body.

Person Tenure Notes
Nikolai Bulganin Candidate 1946.03–1948.02Full member 1948.02–1958.09 1958.09 removed
Alexei Kosygin Candidate 1946.03–1948.09Full member 1948.09–1952.10Candidate 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1957.06–1960.05Full member 1960.05–1980.10 1980.10 retired
Mikhail Suslov Full member 1952.10–1953.03Full member 1955.07–1982.01 1982.01 died in office
Mikhail Pervukhin Full member 1952.10–1957.06Candidate 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected · Demoted for siding with the Anti-Party Group
Maksim Saburov Full member 1952.10–1957.06 1957.06 removed · The Anti-Party Group affair
Vasily Andrianov Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Dmitry Chesnokov Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Semyon Ignatiev Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Demyan Korotchenko Full member 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Otto Wille Kuusinen Full member 1952.10–1953.03Full member 1957.06–1964.05 1964.05 died in office
Vasily Kuznetsov Full member 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1977.10–1986.03 1986.03 not re-elected
Vyacheslav Malyshev Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Mikhailov Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Matvei Shkiryatov Full member 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Panteleimon Ponomarenko Full member 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1953.03–1956.02 1956.02 not re-elected
Leonid Melnikov Full member 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1953.03–1956.02 1956.02 not re-elected
Andrey Vyshinsky Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Ignatov Candidate 1952.10–1953.03Full member 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Ivan Kabanov Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Patolichev Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Pegov Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Alexander Puzanov Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Ivan Tevosian Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Pavel Yudin Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Arseny Zverev Candidate 1952.10–1953.03 1953.03 removed
Mir Jafar Bagirov Candidate 1953.03–1953.07 1953.07 removed · Fell with Beria; executed in 1956

The Khrushchev years 1953–1964

The collective leadership after Stalin resolved into Khrushchev's primacy through Beria's arrest in 1953 and the Anti-Party Group affair of 1957. In October 1964 a better-prepared Presidium removed Khrushchev himself.

Person Tenure Notes
Aleksey Kirichenko Candidate 1953.07–1955.07Full member 1955.07–1960.05 1960.05 removed
Leonid Brezhnev Candidate 1952.10–1953.03Candidate 1956.02–1957.06Full member 1957.06–1982.11 1982.11 died in office
Yekaterina Furtseva Candidate 1956.02–1957.06Full member 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Georgy Zhukov Candidate 1956.02–1957.06Full member 1957.06–1957.10 1957.10 removed · Ousted amid charges of Bonapartism
Dmitri Shepilov Candidate 1956.02–1957.06 1957.06 removed · "Shepilov, who joined them"
Nuritdin Mukhitdinov Candidate 1956.02–1957.12Full member 1957.12–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Averky Aristov Full member 1952.10–1953.03Full member 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Nikolai Belyaev Full member 1957.06–1960.05 1960.05 removed
Frol Kozlov Candidate 1957.02–1957.06Full member 1957.06–1964.11 1964.11 removed · Incapacitated by a stroke in 1963
Jānis Kalnbērziņš Candidate 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Andrei Kirilenko Candidate 1957.06–1961.10Full member 1962.04–1982.11 1982.11 removed
Kirill Mazurov Candidate 1957.06–1965.03Full member 1965.03–1978.11 1978.11 retired
Vasil Mzhavanadze Candidate 1957.06–1972.12 1972.12 removed
Pyotr Pospelov Candidate 1957.06–1961.10 1961.10 not re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny Candidate 1958.06–1960.05Full member 1960.05–1977.05 1977.05 removed
Dmitry Polyansky Candidate 1958.06–1960.05Full member 1960.05–1976.03 1976.03 not re-elected
Gennady Voronov Candidate 1961.01–1961.10Full member 1961.10–1973.04 1973.04 removed
Viktor Grishin Candidate 1961.01–1971.04Full member 1971.04–1986.02 1986.02 removed
Sharaf Rashidov Candidate 1961.10–1983.10 1983.10 died in office
Vladimir Shcherbitsky Candidate 1961.10–1963.12Candidate 1965.12–1971.04Full member 1971.04–1989.09 1989.09 removed
Leonid Yefremov Candidate 1962.11–1966.04 1966.04 not re-elected
Petro Shelest Candidate 1963.12–1964.11Full member 1964.11–1973.04 1973.04 removed

The Brezhnev years 1964–1982

Under the policy of stability of cadres this was the most stable Politburo in Soviet history, its members leaving by old age rather than by purge. The average age climbed steadily, reaching seventy around 1980.

Person Tenure Notes
Alexander Shelepin Full member 1964.11–1975.04 1975.04 removed
Pyotr Demichev Candidate 1964.11–1988.09 1988.09 removed
Dmitry Ustinov Candidate 1965.03–1976.03Full member 1976.03–1984.12 1984.12 died in office
Arvīds Pelše Full member 1966.04–1983.05 1983.05 died in office
Dinmukhamed Kunaev Candidate 1966.04–1971.04Full member 1971.04–1987.01 1987.01 removed
Pyotr Masherov Candidate 1966.04–1980.10 1980.10 died in office · Killed in a road accident
Yuri Andropov Candidate 1967.06–1973.04Full member 1973.04–1984.02 1984.02 died in office
Fyodor Kulakov Full member 1971.04–1978.07 1978.07 died in office
Mikhail Solomentsev Candidate 1971.11–1983.12Full member 1983.12–1988.09 1988.09 removed
Boris Ponomarev Candidate 1972.05–1986.03 1986.03 not re-elected
Andrei Grechko Full member 1973.04–1976.04 1976.04 died in office
Andrei Gromyko Full member 1973.04–1988.09 1988.09 retired
Grigory Romanov Candidate 1973.04–1976.03Full member 1976.03–1985.07 1985.07 removed
Heydar Aliyev Candidate 1976.03–1982.11Full member 1982.11–1987.10 1987.10 removed
Konstantin Chernenko Candidate 1977.10–1978.11Full member 1978.11–1985.03 1985.03 died in office
Nikolai Tikhonov Candidate 1978.11–1979.11Full member 1979.11–1985.10 1985.10 retired
Eduard Shevardnadze Candidate 1978.11–1985.07Full member 1985.07–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Mikhail Gorbachev Candidate 1979.11–1980.10Full member 1980.10–1991.08 1991.08 resigned as General Secretary
Tikhon Kiselyov Candidate 1980.10–1983.01 1983.01 died in office
Vladimir Dolgikh Candidate 1982.05–1988.09 1988.09 removed

From Andropov to Gorbachev 1982–1991

After Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko died in office in quick succession, Gorbachev replaced almost the whole Politburo within a few years. Yet as perestroika deepened, power drained from the Politburo toward the presidency and the soviets.

Person Tenure Notes
Vitaly Vorotnikov Candidate 1983.06–1983.12Full member 1983.12–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Viktor Chebrikov Candidate 1983.12–1985.04Full member 1985.04–1989.09 1989.09 removed
Yegor Ligachev Full member 1985.04–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Nikolai Ryzhkov Full member 1985.04–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Sergei Sokolov Candidate 1985.04–1987.06 1987.06 removed · Removed with his defence ministry after the Rust affair
Nikolai Talyzin Candidate 1985.10–1989.09 1989.09 removed
Lev Zaikov Full member 1986.03–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Boris Yeltsin Candidate 1986.02–1988.02 1988.02 removed · Removed after openly attacking the leadership
Yuri Solovyov Candidate 1986.03–1989.09 1989.09 removed
Nikolai Slyunkov Candidate 1986.03–1987.06Full member 1987.06–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Alexander Yakovlev Full member 1987.06–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Viktor Nikonov Full member 1987.06–1989.09 1989.09 removed
Dmitry Yazov Candidate 1987.06–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected · A leader of the August 1991 coup
Vadim Medvedev Full member 1988.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Aleksandra Biryukova Candidate 1988.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Alexander Vlasov Candidate 1988.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Anatoly Lukyanov Candidate 1988.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected · Implicated in the August 1991 coup
Georgy Razumovsky Candidate 1988.02–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Yuri Maslyukov Candidate 1988.02–1989.09Full member 1989.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Vladimir Kryuchkov Full member 1989.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected · A leader of the August 1991 coup
Yevgeny Primakov Candidate 1989.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected
Boris Pugo Candidate 1989.09–1990.07 1990.07 not re-elected · Joined the August 1991 coup; died by suicide when it failed
Vladimir Ivashko Full member 1989.12–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11 · Deputy General Secretary from July 1990

The last Politburo of the 28th Congress 1990.07–1991.08

In July 1990 the 28th Congress remade the Politburo to include every republic first secretary and abolished the candidate category. After the failed August 1991 coup Gorbachev resigned as General Secretary, and the party's ban that November ended the Politburo's history.

Person Tenure Notes
Vladimir Ivashko Full member 1989.12–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11 · Deputy General Secretary from July 1990
Mykolas Burokevičius Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Alexander Dzasokhov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Ivan Frolov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Givi Gumbaridze Full member 1990.07–1991.01 1991.01 removed
Stanislav Gurenko Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Islam Karimov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Pyotr Luchinsky Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Qahhor Mahkamov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Absamat Masaliyev Full member 1990.07–1991.04 1991.04 removed
Vladimir Movsisyan Full member 1990.07–1990.12 1990.12 removed
Ayaz Mutalibov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Nursultan Nazarbayev Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Saparmurat Niyazov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Ivan Polozkov Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Yuri Prokofyev Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Alfrēds Rubiks Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Galina Semyonova Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Oleg Shenin Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11 · Joined the August 1991 coup
Enn-Arno Sillari Full member 1990.07–1991.01 1991.01 removed
Yefrem Sokolov Full member 1990.07–1990.12 1990.12 removed
Yegor Stroev Full member 1990.07–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Gennady Yanayev Full member 1990.07–1991.01 1991.01 removed · Left to become Soviet vice-president; figurehead of the August 1991 coup
Anatoly Malofeyev Full member 1990.12–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Stepan Pogosyan Full member 1990.12–1991.07 1991.07 removed
Lembit Annus Full member 1991.01–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Dzhumgalbek Amanbayev Full member 1991.04–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Grigore Eremei Full member 1991.04–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11
Mikhail Surkov Full member 1991.04–1991.08 served until the party ban of 1991.11

Composition by party congress

Each block’s table lists everyone who passed through that term, mid-term by-elections, promotions and removals included. The member counts in the heading are the body’s actual size as elected at the congress, not the table’s row count. The 21st (extraordinary) Congress of 1959 elected no new Presidium.

The October 1917 Politburo 1917.10 · Full 7

The first Politburo, formed by the Central Committee to direct the October uprising. It was not a standing body and never actually convened.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Andrei Bubnov re-elected
Grigory Sokolnikov re-elected
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected
CC Bureau of the 7th Congress 1918.03–1919.03 · Full 5

A bureau (бюро) is a small standing executive body; the "-buro" in Politburo is this same word. Before the Politburo became a standing organ, this Central Committee Bureau handled the party's day-to-day work.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Elena Stasova re-elected
Grigory Sokolnikov 1918.07 by-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected
Yakov Sverdlov re-elected 1919.03 died
8th Congress 1919.03 · Full 5 · Candidates 3

Right after the congress the Central Committee elected the first standing Politburo.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Joseph Stalin elected
Leon Trotsky elected
Lev Kamenev elected
Nikolay Krestinsky elected
Vladimir Lenin elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Elena Stasova 1919.09 by-elected not re-elected
Grigory Zinoviev elected
Mikhail Kalinin elected
Nikolai Bukharin elected
9th Congress 1920.04 · Full 5 · Candidates 3

Full members

Person Entry Change
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Nikolay Krestinsky re-elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected
10th Congress 1921.03 · Full 5 · Candidates 3

Full members

Person Entry Change
Grigory Zinoviev promoted from candidate
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov elected
11th Congress 1922.04 · Full 7 · Candidates 3

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov elected
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Mikhail Tomsky elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected
12th Congress 1923.04 · Full 7 · Candidates 4

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov re-elected
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Mikhail Tomsky re-elected
Vladimir Lenin re-elected 1924.01 died

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Jānis Rudzutaks elected
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected full member next term
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected
13th Congress 1924.06 · Full 7 · Candidates 6

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov re-elected
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected
Lev Kamenev re-elected
Mikhail Tomsky re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin promoted from candidate

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Felix Dzerzhinsky elected
Grigory Sokolnikov elected not re-elected
Jānis Rudzutaks re-elected
Mikhail Frunze elected 1925.10 died
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected
14th Congress 1926.01 · Full 9 · Candidates 5

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov re-elected
Grigory Zinoviev re-elected 1926.07 removed
Jānis Rudzutaks 1926.07 promoted
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Kliment Voroshilov elected
Leon Trotsky re-elected 1926.10 removed
Mikhail Kalinin promoted from candidate
Mikhail Tomsky re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov promoted from candidate

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Anastas Mikoyan 1926.07 by-elected
Andrei Andreyev 1926.07 by-elected
Felix Dzerzhinsky re-elected 1926.07 died
Grigory Petrovsky elected
Jānis Rudzutaks re-elected 1926.07 promoted to full member
Lazar Kaganovich 1926.07 by-elected
Lev Kamenev demoted from full membership 1926.10 removed
Nikolai Uglanov elected
Sergei Kirov 1926.07 by-elected
Sergo Ordzhonikidze 1926.07 by-elected 1926.11 removed
Vlas Chubar 1926.11 by-elected
15th Congress 1927.12 · Full 9 · Candidates 9

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov re-elected
Jānis Rudzutaks re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Mikhail Tomsky re-elected not re-elected
Nikolai Bukharin re-elected 1929.11 removed
Valerian Kuibyshev elected
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected
Andrei Andreyev re-elected
Grigory Petrovsky re-elected
Karl Bauman 1929.04 by-elected not re-elected
Lazar Kaganovich re-elected full member next term
Nikolai Uglanov re-elected 1929.04 removed
Sergei Kirov re-elected full member next term
Sergei Syrtsov elected
Stanislav Kosior re-elected full member next term
Vlas Chubar re-elected
16th Congress 1930.07 · Full 10 · Candidates 5

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Rykov re-elected 1930.12 removed
Andrei Andreyev 1932.02 by-elected
Jānis Rudzutaks re-elected 1932.02 removed
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected
Lazar Kaganovich promoted from candidate
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Sergei Kirov promoted from candidate
Sergo Ordzhonikidze 1930.12 by-elected
Stanislav Kosior promoted from candidate
Valerian Kuibyshev elected
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected full member next term
Andrei Andreyev re-elected 1930.12 removed
Grigory Petrovsky re-elected
Sergei Syrtsov re-elected 1930.12 removed
Vlas Chubar re-elected
17th Congress 1934.02 · Full 10 · Candidates 5

Full members

Person Entry Change
Anastas Mikoyan 1935.02 promoted
Andrei Andreyev re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected
Lazar Kaganovich re-elected
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected
Sergei Kirov re-elected 1934.12 assassinated
Sergo Ordzhonikidze re-elected 1937.02 died by suicide
Stanislav Kosior re-elected 1938.05 arrested
Valerian Kuibyshev re-elected 1935.01 died
Vlas Chubar 1935.02 promoted 1938.06 removed
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected 1935.02 promoted to full member
Andrei Zhdanov 1935.02 by-elected full member next term
Grigory Petrovsky re-elected not re-elected
Jānis Rudzutaks demoted from full membership 1937.05 removed
Nikita Khrushchev 1938.01 by-elected full member next term
Nikolai Yezhov 1937.10 by-elected not re-elected
Pavel Postyshev elected 1938.01 removed
Robert Eikhe 1935.02 by-elected 1938.04 arrested
Vlas Chubar re-elected 1935.02 promoted to full member
18th Congress 1939.03 · Full 9 · Candidates 2

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Kosygin 1948.09 promoted
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected
Andrei Andreyev re-elected not re-elected
Andrei Zhdanov promoted from candidate 1948.08 died
Georgy Malenkov 1946.03 promoted
Joseph Stalin re-elected
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected
Lavrentiy Beria 1946.03 promoted
Lazar Kaganovich re-elected
Mikhail Kalinin re-elected 1946.06 died
Nikita Khrushchev promoted from candidate
Nikolai Bulganin 1948.02 promoted
Nikolai Voznesensky 1947.02 promoted 1949.03 removed
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Alexander Shcherbakov 1941.02 by-elected 1945.05 died
Alexei Kosygin 1946.03 by-elected 1948.09 promoted to full member
Georgy Malenkov 1941.02 by-elected 1946.03 promoted to full member
Lavrentiy Beria elected 1946.03 promoted to full member
Nikolai Bulganin 1946.03 by-elected 1948.02 promoted to full member
Nikolai Shvernik elected full member next term
Nikolai Voznesensky 1941.02 by-elected 1947.02 promoted to full member
19th Congress 1952.10 · Full 25 · Candidates 11

The Politburo was renamed the Presidium of the Central Committee and enlarged to 25 full and 11 candidate members. Days after Stalin died in March 1953 it was cut back to a small body.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Aleksey Kirichenko 1955.07 promoted
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected
Averky Aristov elected
Demyan Korotchenko elected 1953.03 removed
Dmitry Chesnokov elected 1953.03 removed
Georgy Malenkov re-elected
Joseph Stalin re-elected 1953.03 died
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected
Lavrentiy Beria re-elected 1953.07 removed
Lazar Kaganovich re-elected
Leonid Melnikov elected 1953.03 demoted to candidate
Maksim Saburov elected
Matvei Shkiryatov elected 1953.03 removed
Mikhail Pervukhin elected
Mikhail Suslov elected 1953.03 removed
Nikita Khrushchev re-elected
Nikolai Bulganin re-elected
Nikolai Mikhailov elected 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Shvernik promoted from candidate 1953.03 demoted to candidate
Otto Wille Kuusinen elected 1953.03 removed
Panteleimon Ponomarenko elected 1953.03 demoted to candidate
Semyon Ignatiev elected 1953.03 removed
Vasily Andrianov elected 1953.03 removed
Vasily Kuznetsov elected 1953.03 removed
Vyacheslav Malyshev elected 1953.03 removed
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Aleksey Kirichenko 1953.07 by-elected 1955.07 promoted to full member
Alexander Puzanov elected 1953.03 removed
Alexei Kosygin demoted from full membership 1953.03 removed
Andrey Vyshinsky elected 1953.03 removed
Arseny Zverev elected 1953.03 removed
Ivan Kabanov elected 1953.03 removed
Ivan Tevosian elected 1953.03 removed
Leonid Brezhnev elected 1953.03 removed
Leonid Melnikov 1953.03 demoted from full membership not re-elected
Mir Jafar Bagirov 1953.03 by-elected 1953.07 removed
Nikolai Ignatov elected 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Patolichev elected 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Pegov elected 1953.03 removed
Nikolai Shvernik 1953.03 demoted from full membership
Panteleimon Ponomarenko 1953.03 demoted from full membership not re-elected
Pavel Yudin elected 1953.03 removed
20th Congress 1956.02 · Full 11 · Candidates 6

Full members

Person Entry Change
Aleksey Kirichenko re-elected 1960.05 removed
Alexei Kosygin 1960.05 promoted
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected
Averky Aristov 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Dmitry Polyansky 1960.05 promoted
Frol Kozlov 1957.06 promoted
Georgy Malenkov re-elected 1957.06 removed
Georgy Zhukov 1957.06 promoted 1957.10 removed
Kliment Voroshilov re-elected 1960.07 removed
Lazar Kaganovich re-elected 1957.06 removed
Leonid Brezhnev 1957.06 promoted
Maksim Saburov re-elected 1957.06 removed
Mikhail Pervukhin re-elected 1957.06 demoted to candidate
Mikhail Suslov re-elected
Nikita Khrushchev re-elected
Nikolai Belyaev 1957.06 by-elected 1960.05 removed
Nikolai Bulganin re-elected 1958.09 removed
Nikolai Ignatov 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny 1960.05 promoted
Nikolai Shvernik 1957.06 promoted
Nuritdin Mukhitdinov 1957.12 promoted not re-elected
Otto Wille Kuusinen 1957.06 by-elected
Vyacheslav Molotov re-elected 1957.06 removed
Yekaterina Furtseva 1957.06 promoted not re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Kosygin 1957.06 by-elected 1960.05 promoted to full member
Andrei Kirilenko 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Demyan Korotchenko 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Dmitri Shepilov elected not re-elected
Dmitry Polyansky 1958.06 by-elected 1960.05 promoted to full member
Frol Kozlov 1957.02 by-elected 1957.06 promoted to full member
Gennady Voronov 1961.01 by-elected full member next term
Georgy Zhukov elected 1957.06 promoted to full member
Jānis Kalnbērziņš 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Kirill Mazurov 1957.06 by-elected
Leonid Brezhnev elected 1957.06 promoted to full member
Mikhail Pervukhin 1957.06 demoted from full membership not re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny 1958.06 by-elected 1960.05 promoted to full member
Nikolai Shvernik re-elected 1957.06 promoted to full member
Nuritdin Mukhitdinov elected 1957.12 promoted to full member
Pyotr Pospelov 1957.06 by-elected not re-elected
Vasil Mzhavanadze 1957.06 by-elected
Viktor Grishin 1961.01 by-elected
Yekaterina Furtseva elected 1957.06 promoted to full member
22nd Congress 1961.10 · Full 11 · Candidates 5

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexander Shelepin 1964.11 by-elected
Alexei Kosygin re-elected
Anastas Mikoyan re-elected not re-elected
Andrei Kirilenko 1962.04 by-elected
Dmitry Polyansky re-elected
Frol Kozlov re-elected 1964.11 removed
Gennady Voronov promoted from candidate
Kirill Mazurov 1965.03 promoted
Leonid Brezhnev re-elected
Mikhail Suslov re-elected
Nikita Khrushchev re-elected 1964.10 removed
Nikolai Podgorny re-elected
Nikolai Shvernik re-elected not re-elected
Otto Wille Kuusinen re-elected 1964.05 died
Petro Shelest 1964.11 promoted

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Dmitry Ustinov 1965.03 by-elected
Kirill Mazurov re-elected 1965.03 promoted to full member
Leonid Yefremov 1962.11 by-elected not re-elected
Petro Shelest 1963.12 by-elected 1964.11 promoted to full member
Pyotr Demichev 1964.11 by-elected
Sharaf Rashidov elected
Vasil Mzhavanadze re-elected
Viktor Grishin re-elected
Vladimir Shcherbitsky elected
23rd Congress 1966.04 · Full 11 · Candidates 8

The Presidium took back the name Politburo.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexander Shelepin re-elected
Alexei Kosygin re-elected
Andrei Kirilenko re-elected
Arvīds Pelše elected
Dmitry Polyansky re-elected
Gennady Voronov re-elected
Kirill Mazurov re-elected
Leonid Brezhnev re-elected
Mikhail Suslov re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny re-elected
Petro Shelest re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Dinmukhamed Kunaev elected full member next term
Dmitry Ustinov re-elected
Pyotr Demichev re-elected
Pyotr Masherov elected
Sharaf Rashidov re-elected
Vasil Mzhavanadze re-elected
Viktor Grishin re-elected full member next term
Vladimir Shcherbitsky re-elected full member next term
Yuri Andropov 1967.06 by-elected
24th Congress 1971.04 · Full 15 · Candidates 6

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexander Shelepin re-elected 1975.12 removed
Alexei Kosygin re-elected
Andrei Grechko 1973.04 by-elected
Andrei Gromyko 1973.04 by-elected
Andrei Kirilenko re-elected
Arvīds Pelše re-elected
Dinmukhamed Kunaev promoted from candidate
Dmitry Polyansky re-elected not re-elected
Fyodor Kulakov elected
Gennady Voronov re-elected 1975.12 removed
Kirill Mazurov elected
Leonid Brezhnev re-elected
Mikhail Suslov re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny re-elected
Petro Shelest re-elected 1975.12 removed
Viktor Grishin promoted from candidate
Vladimir Shcherbitsky promoted from candidate
Yuri Andropov 1973.04 promoted

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Boris Ponomarev 1972.05 by-elected
Dmitry Ustinov re-elected full member next term
Grigory Romanov 1973.04 by-elected full member next term
Mikhail Solomentsev 1971.11 by-elected
Pyotr Demichev re-elected
Pyotr Masherov re-elected
Sharaf Rashidov re-elected
Vasil Mzhavanadze re-elected 1972.12 removed
Yuri Andropov re-elected 1973.04 promoted to full member
25th Congress 1976.03 · Full 16 · Candidates 6

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexei Kosygin re-elected 1980.10 removed
Andrei Grechko re-elected 1976.04 died
Andrei Gromyko re-elected
Andrei Kirilenko re-elected
Arvīds Pelše re-elected
Dinmukhamed Kunaev re-elected
Dmitry Ustinov promoted from candidate
Fyodor Kulakov re-elected 1978.07 died
Grigory Romanov promoted from candidate
Kirill Mazurov re-elected 1978.11 removed
Konstantin Chernenko 1978.11 promoted
Leonid Brezhnev re-elected
Mikhail Gorbachev 1980.10 promoted
Mikhail Suslov re-elected
Nikolai Podgorny re-elected 1977.05 removed
Nikolai Tikhonov 1979.11 promoted
Viktor Grishin re-elected
Vladimir Shcherbitsky re-elected
Yuri Andropov re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Boris Ponomarev re-elected
Eduard Shevardnadze 1978.11 by-elected
Heydar Aliyev elected
Konstantin Chernenko 1977.10 by-elected 1978.11 promoted to full member
Mikhail Gorbachev 1979.11 by-elected 1980.10 promoted to full member
Mikhail Solomentsev re-elected
Nikolai Tikhonov 1978.11 by-elected 1979.11 promoted to full member
Pyotr Demichev re-elected
Pyotr Masherov re-elected 1980.10 died
Sharaf Rashidov re-elected
Tikhon Kiselyov 1980.10 by-elected
Vasily Kuznetsov 1977.10 by-elected
26th Congress 1981.03 · Full 14 · Candidates 8

Full members

Person Entry Change
Andrei Gromyko re-elected
Andrei Kirilenko re-elected 1982.11 removed
Arvīds Pelše re-elected 1983.05 died
Dinmukhamed Kunaev re-elected
Dmitry Ustinov re-elected 1984.12 died
Eduard Shevardnadze 1985.07 promoted
Grigory Romanov re-elected 1985.07 removed
Heydar Aliyev 1982.11 promoted
Konstantin Chernenko re-elected 1985.03 died
Leonid Brezhnev re-elected 1982.11 died
Mikhail Gorbachev re-elected
Mikhail Solomentsev 1983.12 promoted
Mikhail Suslov re-elected 1982.09 died
Nikolai Ryzhkov 1985.04 by-elected
Nikolai Tikhonov re-elected 1985.10 removed
Viktor Chebrikov 1985.04 promoted
Viktor Grishin re-elected 1986.02 removed
Vitaly Vorotnikov 1983.12 promoted
Vladimir Shcherbitsky re-elected
Yegor Ligachev 1985.04 by-elected
Yuri Andropov re-elected 1984.02 died

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Boris Ponomarev re-elected not re-elected
Boris Yeltsin 1986.02 by-elected
Eduard Shevardnadze re-elected 1985.07 promoted to full member
Heydar Aliyev re-elected 1982.11 promoted to full member
Mikhail Solomentsev re-elected 1983.12 promoted to full member
Nikolai Talyzin 1985.10 by-elected
Pyotr Demichev re-elected
Sergei Sokolov 1985.04 by-elected
Sharaf Rashidov re-elected 1983.10 died
Tikhon Kiselyov re-elected 1983.01 died
Vasily Kuznetsov re-elected not re-elected
Viktor Chebrikov 1983.12 by-elected 1985.04 promoted to full member
Vitaly Vorotnikov 1983.06 by-elected 1983.12 promoted to full member
Vladimir Dolgikh 1982.05 by-elected
27th Congress 1986.03 · Full 12 · Candidates 7

Full members

Person Entry Change
Alexander Yakovlev 1987.06 by-elected not re-elected
Andrei Gromyko re-elected 1988.09 removed
Dinmukhamed Kunaev re-elected 1987.01 removed
Eduard Shevardnadze re-elected not re-elected
Heydar Aliyev re-elected 1987.10 removed
Lev Zaikov elected not re-elected
Mikhail Gorbachev re-elected
Mikhail Solomentsev re-elected 1988.09 removed
Nikolai Ryzhkov re-elected not re-elected
Nikolai Slyunkov 1987.06 promoted not re-elected
Vadim Medvedev 1988.09 by-elected not re-elected
Viktor Chebrikov re-elected 1989.09 removed
Viktor Nikonov 1987.06 by-elected 1989.09 removed
Vitaly Vorotnikov re-elected not re-elected
Vladimir Ivashko 1989.12 by-elected
Vladimir Kryuchkov 1989.09 promoted not re-elected
Vladimir Shcherbitsky re-elected 1989.09 removed
Yegor Ligachev re-elected not re-elected
Yuri Maslyukov 1989.09 promoted not re-elected

Candidate members

Person Entry Change
Aleksandra Biryukova 1988.09 by-elected not re-elected
Alexander Vlasov 1988.09 by-elected not re-elected
Anatoly Lukyanov 1988.09 by-elected not re-elected
Boris Pugo 1989.12 by-elected not re-elected
Boris Yeltsin re-elected 1988.02 removed
Dmitry Yazov 1987.06 by-elected not re-elected
Georgy Razumovsky 1988.02 by-elected not re-elected
Nikolai Slyunkov elected 1987.06 promoted to full member
Nikolai Talyzin re-elected 1989.09 removed
Pyotr Demichev re-elected 1988.09 removed
Sergei Sokolov re-elected 1987.06 removed
Vladimir Dolgikh re-elected 1988.09 removed
Yevgeny Primakov 1989.12 by-elected not re-elected
Yuri Maslyukov 1988.02 by-elected 1989.09 promoted to full member
Yuri Solovyov elected 1989.09 removed
28th Congress 1990.07 · Full 24

Reorganized to include every republic first secretary; the candidate-member category was abolished.

Full members

Person Entry Change
Absamat Masaliyev elected 1991.04 removed
Alexander Dzasokhov elected party banned 1991.11
Alfrēds Rubiks elected party banned 1991.11
Anatoly Malofeyev 1990.12 by-elected party banned 1991.11
Ayaz Mutalibov elected party banned 1991.11
Dzhumgalbek Amanbayev 1991.04 by-elected party banned 1991.11
Enn-Arno Sillari elected 1991.01 removed
Galina Semyonova elected party banned 1991.11
Gennady Yanayev elected 1991.01 removed
Givi Gumbaridze elected 1991.01 removed
Grigore Eremei 1991.04 by-elected party banned 1991.11
Islam Karimov elected party banned 1991.11
Ivan Frolov elected party banned 1991.11
Ivan Polozkov elected party banned 1991.11
Lembit Annus 1991.01 by-elected party banned 1991.11
Mikhail Gorbachev re-elected 1991.08 resigned 1991.08
Mikhail Surkov 1991.04 by-elected party banned 1991.11
Mykolas Burokevičius elected party banned 1991.11
Nursultan Nazarbayev elected party banned 1991.11
Oleg Shenin elected party banned 1991.11
Pyotr Luchinsky elected party banned 1991.11
Qahhor Mahkamov elected party banned 1991.11
Saparmurat Niyazov elected party banned 1991.11
Stanislav Gurenko elected party banned 1991.11
Stepan Pogosyan 1990.12 by-elected 1991.07 removed
Vladimir Ivashko elected party banned 1991.11
Vladimir Movsisyan elected 1990.12 removed
Yefrem Sokolov elected 1990.12 removed
Yegor Stroev elected party banned 1991.11
Yuri Prokofyev elected party banned 1991.11

Rosters and dates follow the per-congress composition lists (based on Izvestiya TsK KPSS and knowbysight.info), with corrections checked against Russian-language sources: Kuibyshev’s entry (1927.12), the removal of Trotsky and Kamenev (1926.10), the entry of Shelepin and Shelest (1964.11), and the March 1953 cutback of the Presidium.

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