Extrait du discours du nouveau secrétaire général du Parti communiste soviétique

Date: 11 mars 1985

Le décès du leader soviétique Konstantin Tchernenko, le 10 mars 1985, est suivi par l'accession de Mikhaïl Gorbatchev au poste de premier secrétaire du Parti communiste de l'Union des républiques socialistes soviétiques (URSS). Celui-ci s'adresse au Politburo le 11 mars. Les années Gorbatchev seront marquées par des bouleversements majeurs sur le plan domestique, notamment avec la politique de transparence (glasnost) et la restructuration de l'économie (perestroïka).

Sélection et mise en page par l'équipe de Perspective monde

First of all, I would like to say that the main and the most important point is that our Politburo session today takes place in the spirit of unity. We are living through a very complex and transformative time. Our economy needs more dynamism. This dynamism is necessary for our democracy, for the development of our foreign policy.

I understand very well that in the end, the Politburo of the CC CPSU will always be able to make the right decision, to find the necessary candidate. However, because today you are talking about me, I receive your words with a feeling of great excitement and anxiety. This is my feeling when I listen to you, dear friends.

I also understand very well that we are talking about extremely hard work. It would be practically impossible to carry it out without your support, without an atmosphere of mutual understanding in the Politburo. That is why again and again I come to the conclusion for myself that the collective spirit and unity are the invaluable qualities of our party, our Central Committee, and its Politburo.

The nine years of my work in the Stavropol krai, and seven years of my work here have shown me convincingly that our party contains a great creative potential. It possesses this potential above all else because the people give their active support to the Communists. The latest elections to the Supreme and the local Soviets have shown that persuasively. These elections serve as a sign of the great trust of our people in our party, and at the same time, they show how great is the responsibility, which rests on our shoulders.

I see my task first of all in looking for new solutions, for ways to move our country forward, for ways to increase the economic and defense power of the Motherland, and to improve the lives of our people together with you. I am deeply devoted to the idea of collective work, and I think that it has a potential that we are not using fully yet. Our collectivist potential should work even more actively, and produce even more results.

We should not change our policy. It is the right, correct, genuinely Leninist policy. We should pick up the tempo, move forward, identify shortcomings and overcome them, and behold the sight of our bright future even more clearly.

I assure you that I will do everything to live up to the great trust of the party and your trust, comrades, I will do everything to organize our smooth collective work. And I hope very much for our mutual support and for our unity.