Mikhail Gorbachev, a Soviet reformer, continued to innovate after leaving the Kremlin, becoming the first Russian head of state to hold public office in modern history. Tsars and Soviet leaders had traditionally died in office or, in the case of General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, were deposed and spent the rest of their lives in exile. Over a three-decade period, Gorbachev charted his own trajectory after leaving office:
Prominent appearances
In the 1980s and 1990s, Mikhail Gorbachev participated in Western brand advertisements to collect money for his newly established charity. One of the most well-known of these appearances was a Pizza Hut commercial in which the former USSR leader entered an American chain’s restaurant after crossing Red Square. Another featured him peering out of a car at the Berlin Wall while holding a monogrammed bag with the tagline ‘A journey brings us face to face with ourselves’.
Return attempt
Mikhail Gorbachev ran for president on a centrist platform in 1996, but received less than 1% of the vote. The former general secretary’s humiliation may have helped him in the end because it demonstrated to Yeltsin that he was no longer a political threat. He helped found a short-lived social democratic party, but he never ran for office again.
Environmental issues
The former president followed in the footsteps of many Western heads of state, with lucrative international lecture tours, a collection of memoirs, and a foundation named after him. In 1992, Gorbachev also founded the international environmental NGO Green Cross. Long after leaving office, he continued to meet with foreign leaders to advance environmental interests. To commemorate his 80th birthday in 2011, Sharon Stone and Kevin Spacey staged a marathon charity event at London’s Albert Hall. Others who paid tribute to him included former US President Bill Clinton and Bono.
Free press
The Russian dissident Mikhail Gorbachev invested early in the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which he started in the 1990s. During President Vladimir Putin’s administration, the publication served as a forum for dissident voices. Several of its employees, notably the investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya, have been killed for their work. In July, the Russian communications watchdog demanded that the licences for Novya Gazeta’s website and print edition be revoked.
Final days
The Soviet leader lived out his final days in a humble country home west of Moscow, where he and Raisa had previously resided. He maintained home with a cleaner and a small security team while frequently travelling to Moscow for functions and foundation visits. The loss of Gorbachev’s wife Raisa was the greatest sadness of his life after leaving office.
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