The Russian presidential election of 1996 were presidential elections held on 16 June 1996, with a second round on 3 July. The second presidential election in the nation's history, it saw a massive turnaround for the CPRF (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) thanks to the victory of its nominee, Gennady Zyugonov, who defeated the incumbent independent president, Boris Yeltsin, in the run-off election, winning 49.3% of the popular vote. He was inaugurated a month later on 9 August.