Conductor politician

Eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union

Initially adhered to Marxism–Leninism ideologically but moved towards social democracy by the early 1990s

Served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, from 11 March, 1985 to 24 August, 1991, when the party was dissolved

Also Acting Second Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, from 9 February, 1984 to 10 March, 1985, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, from 1 October, 1988 to 25 May, 1989, Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, from 25 May, 1989 to 15 March, 1990, President of the Soviet Union, from 15 March, 1990 to 25 December, 1991; and, later, Co-Chairman of the Union of Social Democrats, from 11 March, 2000 to 15 November, 2017

Time Magazine’s Person of the Year for 1987 and 1989

Awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1990