The last leader of the Soviet Union was Mikhail Gorbachev, who served as the General Secretary of the Communist Party from 1985 until the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. Gorbachev implemented significant reforms, including glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring), aimed at modernizing the Soviet economy and encouraging political liberalization. His efforts opened the door for greater political freedom and dialogue but also contributed to the USSR's eventual collapse. Gorbachev's legacy remains controversial, seen by some as a reformist hero and by others as a leader who oversaw the end of a superpower.