Gavriil Popov (politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gavriil Popov
Гавриил Попов
Popov in 1991
1st Mayor of Moscow
In office 12 June 1991 – 6 June 1992
Deputy	Yury Luzhkov
Preceded by	Yury Luzhkov as chairman of the executive committee of the Moscow City Council
Succeeded by	Yury Luzhkov
Personal details
Born	(1936-10-31) 31 October 1936 (age 88) Moscow, Soviet Union
Political party	Just Russia (2007–present)
Other political affiliations	Communist Party (1959–1990) Democratic Russia (1990–1994) Independent (1994–2001) Social Democratic Party (2001–2007)
Spouse	Irina
Children	Chariton Basil
Alma mater	Moscow State University (1959)

Gavriil Kharitonovich Popov (Russian: Гавриил Харитонович Попов; born October 31, 1936) is a well-known Russian politician and economist. He is famous for being the very first mayor of Moscow, the capital city of Russia. He served in this important role from 1991 to 1992.

Gavriil Popov's Early Life and Education

Gavriil Popov was born in Moscow, the capital of Russia. His family was of Greek background. He went to Moscow Lomonosov University where he studied political economy. This field combines the study of politics and how countries manage their money and resources.

Joining the Communist Party

In 1959, Popov joined the Communist Party. At that time, the Communist Party was the only political party allowed in the Soviet Union. He also worked as a secretary for the Komsomol committee at his university. Komsomol was a youth organization for young people in the Soviet Union.

Becoming a University Dean

After finishing his studies, Popov stayed at the university's economics department. He worked his way up from a graduate student to a teacher. In 1978, he became the dean of the economics faculty. This meant he was in charge of the department. One of his students was Yegor Gaidar, who later became a very important leader in Russia.

Popov's Role in Changing Russia

During the late 1980s, the Soviet Union went through a period of big changes called Perestroika. This word means "restructuring" and it aimed to make the country more open and modern. Gavriil Popov became very involved in politics during this time.

Becoming Moscow's First Elected Mayor

On June 12, 1991, something very important happened. Gavriil Popov was elected as the first mayor of Moscow by the people. This was a huge step because it was the first time a mayor was chosen through a democratic election in Moscow's history. Before this, leaders were usually appointed by the Communist Party.

Leaving the Communist Party

In 1990, Popov decided to leave the Communist Party. He followed the lead of Boris Yeltsin, another important political figure who later became Russia's first president. This showed that big changes were happening in the country's political system.

Resigning as Mayor

Popov served as mayor for about a year. In 1992, he resigned from his position. His vice-mayor, Yury Luzhkov, then took over as the new mayor of Moscow.

Life After Being Mayor

After leaving his role as mayor, Gavriil Popov returned to working in universities. He went back to his passion for education and economics. Today, he is the president of the International University in Moscow.