MOSCOW The soviets are set to switch over to presidential form of government in mid-March with the supreme society deciding to convene an extraordinary session of the congress of people’s deputies to elect the president and make corresponding amendments to the constitution.
The 2,250-strong congress, the nation’s super parliament, will meet on March 12 and 13to elect the president, who is certain to be Mikhail Gorbachev, with vast power including that to impose a state of emergency, to appoint the prime minister and to declare war.
The proposal was approved by the Supreme Soviet by a majority vote.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 9, 1990
