In Politburo, you play a politburo member in a totalitarian regime, responsible for a five-year plan. You have a secret personal objective as well but anyone not following the party line may be purged.
At the end of the game, you score 1 point for each plan that was executed according to your objective but you also lose 1 point for each time you have been purged.
The players take turns to play the general secretary and lead the turn through three distinct phases:
1. Plan: The general secretary proposes one of the three ministries of defence, finance and security and calls for an open vote. The ministry approved by a majority of the members enters the execution phase.
2. Execution: The general secretary appoints three members for a secret execution where they choose between repression and reforming.
a) If they are unanimous, the ministry adds 1 point for repression and subtracts 1 point for reforming.
b) If no unanimity is attained in three attempts, the ministry is unchanged and the three members enter the purge phase.
3. Purge: The members secretly points out another member to purge.If a member is pointed out by the other two, he or she loses 1 influence.
The players’ objectives may be related to the repression or reforming of one or more ministries or to the other members’ influence. They may coincide or collide.
There is a delicate balance between pushing the common agenda towards your own agenda and avoiding the "blame game" that may follow. You need political alliances but your allies will take any opportunity to purge you!