Soviet Union in less than two years. In an attempt to avoid a third short-lived leader, in 1985, the Soviets turned to the next generation and selected Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev made significant changes in the economy and party leadership, called "perestroika". His policy of "glasnost" freed public access to information after decades of heavy government censorship. Gorbachev also moved to end the Cold War. In 1988, the Soviet Union abandoned its nine-year war in Afghanistan and began to withdraw its forces. In the late 1980s, , which paved the way for Revolutions of 1989. With the tearing down of the Berlin Wall
1990 Soviet Union presidential election not vote. The day after the election, Gorbachev took office as President at a meeting of the Congress of People's Deputies. 1990 Soviet Union presidential election Presidential elections were held in the Soviet Union on 14 March 1990 to elect a president for a five-year term. This was the only presidential election in the Soviet Union, as the post of president was introduced in 1990, and the Soviet Union disintegrated in the following year. The elections were uncontested, with Mikhail Gorbachev as the only candidate. Although the constitution required the president to be directly-elected, it was decided that the first