In December 2011, amid the protests following the 2011 Russian elections Gorbachev criticized Putin for a decision to seek the third term in the presidential elections and advised Putin to leave politics.
U decembru 2011. godine, zbog protesta posle Ruskih izbora, Gobarčev je kritikovao Putina zbog odluke da traži treći mandat na predsedničkim izborima a onda su ga i posavetovali da napusti politiku.