Editing Head of state (section)

===Single-party states===
In certain states under [[Marxism–Leninism|Marxist–Leninist]] constitutions of the [[Socialist state|constitutionally socialist state]] type inspired by the former [[Union of Soviet Socialist Republics]] (USSR) and its constitutive [[Republics of the Soviet Union|Soviet republics]], real political power belonged to the sole legal party. In these states, there was no formal office of head of state, but rather the leader of the legislative branch was considered to be the closest common equivalent of a head of state as a [[natural person]]. In the Soviet Union this position carried such titles as ''Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR''; ''Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet''; and in the case of the [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Soviet Russia]] ''Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets'' (pre-1922), and ''Chairman of the [[Bureau of the Central Committee]] of the Russian SFSR'' (1956–1966). This position may or may not have been held by the [[de facto]] Soviet leader at the moment. For example, [[Nikita Khrushchev]] never headed the Supreme Soviet but was [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union|First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party]] (party leader) and [[Council of Ministers (Soviet Union)|Chairman of the Council of Ministers]] ([[head of government]]).

This may even lead to an institutional variability, as in [[North Korea]], where, after the presidency of party leader [[Kim Il Sung]], the office was vacant for years. The late president was granted the posthumous title (akin to some ancient Far Eastern traditions to give posthumous names and titles to royalty) of ''"[[Eternal President of the Republic|Eternal President]]"''. All substantive power, as party leader, itself not formally created for four years, was inherited by his son [[Kim Jong Il]]. The post of president was formally replaced on 5 September 1998, for ceremonial purposes, by the office of [[President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly]], while the party leader's post as [[chairman of the National Defense Commission]] was simultaneously declared "the highest post of the state", not unlike [[Deng Xiaoping]] earlier in the [[China|People's Republic of China]].

In [[China]], under the current [[Constitution of the People's Republic of China|country's constitution]], the [[President of the People's Republic of China|Chinese president]] is a largely [[Figurehead|ceremonial office]] with limited power.<ref>{{cite news |title = Ending Term Limits for China's Xi Is a Big Deal. Here's Why. - Is the presidency powerful in China? |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/world/asia/china-xi-jinping-term-limit-explainer.html |date = 10 March 2018 |work = [[The New York Times]] |author1=Chris Buckley |author2=Adam Wu |quote = In China, the political job that matters most is the General Secretary of the Communist Party. The party controls the military and domestic security forces, and sets the policies that the government carries out. China's presidency lacks the authority of the American and French presidencies. |access-date = 28 September 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180312103512/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/10/world/asia/china-xi-jinping-term-limit-explainer.html |archive-date = 12 March 2018 |url-status = live }}</ref><ref>[http://www.kkhsou.in/main/polscience/structure_function.html Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502002431/http://www.kkhsou.in/main/polscience/structure_function.html |date=2 May 2014 }}, EXECUTIVE: THE PRESIDENT OF THE CHINESE REPUBLIC.</ref> However, since 1993, as a matter of convention, the presidency has been held simultaneously by the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party|general secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]],<ref>{{cite news |url = https://multimedia.scmp.com/widgets/china/cpc-primer/ |title = A simple guide to the Chinese government |newspaper = [[South China Morning Post]] |quote = [[Xi Jinping]] is the most powerful figure in the Chinese political system. He is the President of China, but his real influence comes from his position as the [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]]. |access-date = 28 September 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180513080847/https://multimedia.scmp.com/widgets/china/cpc-primer/ |archive-date = 13 May 2018 |url-status = live }}</ref> the [[Paramount leader|top leader]] in the [[One-party state|one party system]].<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics/china-sets-stage-for-xi-to-stay-in-office-indefinitely-idUSKCN1G906W |title = China sets stage for Xi to stay in office indefinitely |work = [[Reuters]] |date = 25 February 2018 |quote = However, the role of party chief is more senior than that of president. At some point, Xi could be given a party position that also enables him to stay on as long as he likes. |access-date = 28 September 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180226082043/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-politics/china-sets-stage-for-xi-to-stay-in-office-indefinitely-idUSKCN1G906W |archive-date = 26 February 2018 |url-status = live }}</ref> The presidency is officially regarded as [[Government of the People's Republic of China|an institution of the state]] rather than an administrative post; theoretically, the president serves at the pleasure of the [[National People's Congress]], the legislature, and is not legally vested to take executive action on its own prerogative.{{NoteTag|It is listed as such in the current Constitution; it is thus equivalent to organs such as the [[State Council of the People's Republic of China|State Council]], rather than to offices such as that of the [[Premier of the People's Republic of China|Premier]].}}