in the early 1920s, the party operated under the principle of democratic centralism, whereby the leading body of the party was the congress, meeting at least once a year. between congresses, leadership of the party resided in the central committee, which was elected at the congress, of one group of people who had to live where the leadership was resident and formed the zentrale and others nominated from the districts they represented (but also elected at the congress) who represented the wider party. elected figures were subject to recall by the bodies that elected them.