When did Yeltsin resign as president? History and interesting facts

For a person who survived the "dashing nineties", this period is associated with crime, lines, popularization of American culture. And also with the image of the president conducting a German orchestra and dancing Kalinka-Malinka. It was a time of limitless freedom, wild capitalism and reassessment of values. There is no exact periodization, but we can assume that the era of bandits and general devastation ended when Yeltsin resigned as president.

early years

The first president of Russia was from the Sverdlovsk region. He was born on February 1, 1931. The childhood of the future politician passed in the city of Berezniki: here his father worked at the construction site of a chemical plant. After graduation, Boris Yeltsin entered the Ural Polytechnic Institute. Received the specialty of civil engineer. In his student years he went in for sports, played for the city national volleyball team.

Sverdlovsk regional committee

In the mid-fifties, the career of Boris Yeltsin began. He has mastered several construction specialties. He joined the party. In 1975, he became Secretary of the Sverdlovsk Regional Committee. By his order, a high-rise building was erected in the city, which the locals call differently: “Tooth of wisdom”, “White House”, “Member of the Party”. Yeltsin also organized the construction of a highway that connects Sverdlov with the northern part of the region. Thanks to his active work, the inhabitants of the barracks found housing in apartment buildings.

Moscow City Committee

Boris Yeltsin held the post of secretary of the capital city committee since 1985. With his arrival, the cleaning of the party apparatus of Moscow began. He stripped many of the officials in the IGU of the CPSU. Under Yeltsin, a ban was imposed on the demolition of buildings of historic importance.

People's Deputy of the USSR

Yeltsin did not win the 1989 election. But one of the deputies refused the mandate in his favor. The first Russian president was one of the most scandalous figures in domestic politics. In 1989, he was invited to the United States, and, according to media reports, performed in a drunken state. However, this story was perceived as a provocation against Yeltsin, whose views differed from the official ideology. In 1990, the future president had a plane crash. Hints appeared in the newspapers that this catastrophe was organized by KGB officers. In May of the same year, Yeltsin was elected chairman of the Supreme Council, in which press releases played a significant role.

August putsch

In June 1991, the first nationwide presidential elections were held in Russia . Yeltsin collected 57% of the vote. Two months later, an event occurred that was associated among millions of post-Soviet residents with the unrest in Moscow and the never-ending Swan Lake on television. Yeltsin played a leading role here, turning the House of Soviets of Russia into a center of resistance. So did not become a huge multinational state. We will not go into details of the economic and ideological crises that swept the country at the sunset of the millennium. We turn to the main part of today's story - to that momentous day when Yeltsin resigned as president.

Courageous act

When did Yeltsin resign as president? At the peak of a difficult situation in Russia. Many politicians and experts today call Yeltsin’s act unprecedented, courageous. Although some believe that this step was somewhat belated.

Many criticize Yeltsin’s policies, paying particular attention to miscalculations in the international arena. At the same time, researchers note numerous merits, including the creation of the Constitution.

When Yeltsin resigned as president

The first president gave the impression of an eccentric personality. Ordinary citizens perceived how Boris Yeltsin resigned as president, a fad. On December 31, 1999, the country celebrated as usual. This day for every former citizen of the USSR is associated with Olivier salad, Soviet champagne and the president’s speech. It is, as a rule, predictable, of little substance. But not the last New Year’s speech of the first Russian president. This performance struck the whole world, and later gave rise to many legends. So, Boris Nikolayevich was later attributed the words "I'm leaving, I'm tired." He did not pronounce them.

When did Yeltsin step down as president of Russia? A few minutes before the new millennium. Citizens are attuned to a carefree celebration, to cheerful conversations and watching New Year's programs. But it was not there. The night from December 31 to January 1 was devoted to talk about Boris Nikolaevich and his successor. Television workers mounted an amazing film about the life and work of this outstanding personality with amazing speed. There were no traditional shows featuring pop stars this New Year's Eve. Only politics.

Presidential Marathon

Well-known politicians and public figures love to write memoirs. More precisely, order professional writers books about themselves. Boris Nikolaevich was no exception. In 2000, the book “Presidential Marathon” was published, which contains the answer to the question “Why did Yeltsin resign from the presidency?”.

There is a version that he did not plan to run in the 1996 elections. By that time, it had lost its former popularity, in which the Chechen campaign played an important role. His main opponent was the Communist leader Zyuganov. Perhaps that is why he decided to run for a second term. President Yeltsin needed a successor. But back to the events of 1999.

According to the book “Presidential Marathon,” Boris Yeltsin informed Alexander Voloshin, Valentin Yumashev and his daughter Tatyana of their decision. My wife found out about this only on the morning of December 31. Yeltsin announced the upcoming resignation from the presidency of the Russian Federation Naina Iosifovna a few minutes before he got into the company car and left for the Kremlin. By the way, the relatives of Boris Nikolaevich were immensely pleased. During the nine years of his presidency, as the widow of Yeltsin later said, they are a lot tired.

The day before the Duma elections. The new Unity party, led by then-less-known but inspiring Putin, showed good results. This was the impetus for making an important decision. But why exactly December 31? Why did Yeltsin resign from the post of president of the Russian Federation in the last hours of the outgoing year?

Brilliant move

With his resignation, Boris Yeltsin predetermined the victory of Vladimir Putin in the upcoming presidential election. According to most political experts, this was a brilliant move. Moreover, Yeltsin renounced power voluntarily. And this step could be regarded as a courageous act. After all, none of the Russian and Soviet rulers ever refused power from their own will. It was an unprecedented event in Russian history.

The last years of his reign, Yeltsin often replaced some people with others. The scene was legendary in which the Russian president pronounced with a formidable phrase “Not so sat down!”, After which his subordinates took the “right” places in a hurry. Despite the unexpected actions, which many seemed strange, Yeltsin managed to form an effective team.

Six months before he made a New Year’s speech, which later went down in history, State Duma deputies attempted to remove him from his presidency. A commission was created that prepared the document. It contained charges of the collapse of the USSR, the outbreak of the Chechen war, the genocide of the peoples of Russia. In December , the president’s rating was approaching zero. Prime Minister Putin, meanwhile, was gaining great popularity.

Yeltsin stepped down as president on New Year's Eve. Thus, he took his opponents by surprise. Putin was appointed acting, who on that significant night delivered his first New Year’s address to Russian citizens. On the same day, the Prime Minister signed a decree which guaranteed Boris Yeltsin protection from prosecution.

Yeltsin’s last appeal was solemn, emotional. Having uttered the final phrase, he was silent, and tears were pouring down his face, as the operator later claimed. The Russians were extremely excited. They did not know what lay ahead. And they were waiting for a new era - the era of a strong ruler who is unlikely to ever make such a speech.