He had a long career in the Serbian and Yugoslav communist parties. During the Second World War he was member of communist Partisan forces. His notable military engagements include the Partisan attack on Sjenica.[2] His nephew was Serbian president Ivan Stambolić.[3]
Stambolić served as president of the Central Committee of the Serbian Communist Party from 1948 to 1957.[4] During that time he was prime minister of Serbia from 1948 to 1953[5] and then served as president of the National Assembly of Serbia until 1957 and President of the Federal Assembly of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 26 March 1957 until 29 June 1963. He also served as the president of the federal executive council of Yugoslavia from 1963 to 1967, and President of the Presidency of Yugoslavia from 1982 to 1983.[3]