Valentina Mogusheva (1921-) was President of Russia from 2002 to 2003, succeeding Yury Vadimov and preceding Yury Tarasov.
Biography[]
Valentina Mogusheva was born in Orsk, Orenburg Oblast, Russian SFSR in 1921, and she served in the Red Army during World War II. Mogusheva served as a KGB officer during the Cold War and was stationed in the Baltics and later in East Asia, and she became a police inspector during the 1980s. After the Dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, she entered politics with the LDPR, a right-wing populist and ultranationalist political party. Mogusheva was first elected to the State Duma in 2000 as party leader, and she was a perennial presidential candidate who challenged United Russia president Yury Vadimov several times. In mid-2001, she led her party to unseat United Russia as the parliamentary majority, but she fought Vadimov to two 50%-50% draws in presidential elections, leading to Vadimov remaining in power. However, in 2002 (despite parliamentary losses to the CPRF), Mogusheva defeated Vadimov 53.2% to 46.8%, becoming the next President of Russia.
Under Mogusheva, the State Duma narrowly voted 18-15 to approve a housing tax, 16-12 to abolish public housing, and 31-1 to approve a national ambulance service. In early 2013, the LDPR dropped to 35.64% and 12 seats, the CPRF rose to 33.52% and 12 seats, and UR dropped to 30.83% and 11 seats. Mogusheva defeated CPRF leader Yury Tarasov 54.2% to 45.8%, retaining her presidency. The Duma voted 29-2 to reinstate public housing, 28-2 to approve a child benefit program, and 29-1 to approve universal health care. In mid-2003, the CPRF rose to 43.19% and 15 seats, the LDPR dropped to 28.73% and 10 seats, and United Russia dropped to 27.39% and 10 seats. A week later, the Duma voted 28-2 to approve free primary education. In the ensuing presidential election, Tarasov defeated Mogusheva 52.3% to 47.7%.