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Congress of People’s Deputies

Soviet government

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The Congress of People's Deputies was a legislative body established in the Soviet Union in 1988 as part of Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms. This new parliament, along with similar congresses in each Soviet republic, allowed for elections where voters could choose from multiple candidates, including non-communists, though the Communist Party still held significant influence.12

The Congress of People's Deputies replaced the USSR Supreme Soviet as the highest organ of state power. Elections for this body took place in March 1989, with approximately 88 percent of deputies being communists. However, the Communist Party was no longer monolithic, and this new structure facilitated a shift in power dynamics, contributing to the eventual dissolution of the Soviet Union.32

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