Chernenko Elected President of USSR - April 1984

Konstantin Chernenko, general secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, added another title, April 11. In a unanimous vote by the Supreme Soviet, Chernenko was named head of state. Officially the title was chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Chernenko thus followed as secretary, his two predecessors Leonid Brezhnev and Yuri Andropov, in adding the second honor. Mikhail Gorbachev, youngest member of the ruling Politburo at age 53, nominated Chernenko for the post, prompting some speculation that Gorbachev was in line to succeed the 72-year-old Chernenko.