Demokratizatsiya was a slogan introduced by
General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev in January 1987 calling for the infusion of "
democratic" elements into the
Soviet Union's single-party government. Gorbachev's Demokratizatsiya meant the introduction of multi-
candidate - not
multiparty - elections for local
Communist Party (CPSU) and
Soviets. In this way, he hoped to rejuvenate the party with progressive personnel who would carry out his institutional and policy reforms. The
CPSU would retain sole custody of the ballot box.