Mikhail Gorbachev became the leader of the Soviet Union in 1985, but before him, Leonid Brezhnev held the position from 1964 until his death in 1982. Brezhnev's era was marked by a period of stagnation in the Soviet economy and political system, often characterized by a lack of significant reform and a focus on heavy industry and military expansion. The policies established during Brezhnev's leadership set the stage for Gorbachev's later reforms, such as perestroika (restructuring) and glasnost (openness), intended to revitalize the struggling Soviet Union.