"Democracy does not work if different movements are not engaged in it," Gorbachev said. "Society is pluralistic, and politics must be pluralistic as well."
But Gorbachev, whose policies of glasnost and perestroika led to the collapse of the Soviet Union, moved to play down criticism of the Kremlin for restricting access to the media for liberal parties, dispersing protesters, and toughening election legislation. "It is not really against the opposition," he said.
Speaking about Other Russia, a loose coalition of liberals, communists, and nationalists opposed to President Vladimir Putin, he said exploiting the world chess champion title of Garry Kasparov, one of its key figures, was wrong.
"But if such heroes do express broad public sentiments, elections could propel new figures onto the [political] stage," Gorbachev said.
The opposition has enjoyed little public support, being plagued by infighting and a lack of ideas.
Former Premier Mikhail Kasyanov and Vladimir Ryzhkov, an independent member of parliament, also prominent figures in Other Russia, left Kasparov's party largely over clashing ambitions and procedural differences.
