On June 12, 1991: Boris Yeltsin — Russia’s First Elected President
On June 12, 1991, the “Great Vote” — as some observers described it — saw 107 million Russians cast their ballots to elect the first democratically chosen president of the Russian Federation. The winner was none other than the fiery politician Boris Yeltsin.
The Year History Stopped
The year 1991 was anything but ordinary. It was the year of the great collapse, when anti-communist forces began demanding their rights. Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, tried every means to preserve the state, but “Russia” as an independent entity had already decided to pursue its own path.
On March 17, 1991, the Russian people approved in a referendum the creation of the position of president of the republic and its direct election. On April 4, the “Congress of People’s Deputies” decided to hold the elections on June 12.
Election Results — A Clear Victory
The elections were not limited to Yeltsin alone; he faced competitors:
Boris Yeltsin (Independent): 57.3%
Nikolai Ryzhkov (Communist Party): 16.9%
Vladimir Zhirinovsky (Liberal Democrat): 7.8%
Aman Tuleyev (Independent): 6.8%
With this victory, ninety-five million Russians — 74.7% of voters — participated in a historic step made possible by Yeltsin through popular will.
After the Victory — A Lucky Escape or Rapid Collapse?
The victory and Yeltsin’s ascension to the top of Russia were a legitimacy that had only been possible before by a tsar, but his campaign promises did not live up to many of his pledges.
Less than four months after his win, in August 1991, Yeltsin faced his biggest challenge: a failed coup attempt by sectors of the Soviet military seeking to restore military rule, but he barely managed to rally allies.
On December 8, 1991, the “Belavezha Accords” were signed with Leonid Kravchuk (Ukraine) and Stanislav Shushkevich (Belarus), which led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
What Happened Next?
On December 25, 1991 — less than six months after his election — Gorbachev announced the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The vacuum left by the departure of the superpower triggered political events that continue to shake the world to this day.
Afterward, Yeltsin attempted to transform Russia into a modern democracy, but he failed to curb corruption and rising prices, and ultimately resigned on December 31, 1999.
Conclusion — History Writes Itself
The June 12, 1991 elections were a turning point that ushered Russia into a new era. On that day, Yeltsin was not only the first democratically elected president but also the spark that ignited the collapse of an exceptional power — “hard to imagine” as Gorbachev put it.
