Sweeping Change for the Soviet Union : A NEW GOVERNMENT

A sweeping vote by the Congress of People’s Deputies brushed away the government of the Soviet Union, replacing it with what Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev calls an interim structure that will last until a confederation of sovereign states is formed. Opponents said Gorbachev railroaded the change through the Congress. The change leaves the power of the republics dominant.

STATE COUNCIL

* The highest government body will be led by the Soviet president and including the leaders of all the republics.

* It will coordinate decisions on questions of domestic and foreign policy affecting “the common interests of the republic.”

* It will run defense, security, law enforcement and foreign affairs. Its decisions are legally binding.

* There is no vice president; if the president is unable to fulfill his duties, the council will elect an acting leader.

“The Congress rose to the occasion in this responsible and, without exaggeration, historic moment in the development of our state. . . . Despite the stormy debate and sometimes red-hot situation, the Congress reconciled to the decision best for this moment.”

--Mikhail S. Gorbachev

INTER-REPUBLIC ECONOMIC COMMITTEE

* It will coordinate the national economy and implement economic reforms.

* Its chairman will be named by the president, with the agreement of the State Council.

POWERS LEFT TO THE REPUBLICS

* The legislatures of the republics have the right to suspend on the territory of the republic those laws adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. that contradict the constitutions of the republics.

* All republics must approve any changes in the Soviet Constitution that are passed by the Supreme Soviet.

SUPREME SOVIET

* The highest legislative body will consist of two chambers, the Soviet of Republics and the Soviet of the Union. The total number of deputies in this body will depend on how many republics decide to participate.

* Each republic will send 20 deputies to the Soviet of Republics. They will be chosen from the Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies and republics’ legislatures. In addition, autonomous areas--smaller political subdivisions--in each republic can send one representative. The Russian Federation will have the most deputies, 52, to reflect all its autonomous districts, regions and national minorities in the vast republic.

* No matter how many deputies a republic sends, however, each delegation has only one vote.

* The deputies in the Soviet of the Union are chosen by republics’ legislatures, based on the number of lawmakers each now has in the Congress of People’s Deputies.

* The Soviet of Republics and the Soviet of the Union jointly decide changes in the Soviet Constitution, accept states into the new union, hear the reports of the president on the most important domestic and foreign issues, confirm the union budget, declare war and conclude peace.

* The Soviet of Republics decides on the organization and activities of union organs, and ratifies and annuls international treaties of the union.

* Laws adopted by the Council of the Union take effect after they are approved by the Soviet of Republics.

Compiled from staff and wire reports