He is a candidate of historical sciences, a professor of the Higher School of Economics, and an anchorman of a number of Echo of Moscow radio programs.

Ryzhkov was first elected in 1993 and later headed a group of deputies from Russia's Choice (Выбор России), the main pro-Kremlin party under Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

On 19 September 1998, Ryzhkov was appointed Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation on social issues, but turned down the offer only days later.

[2] In January 2012, following the entry into force of the ECtHR’s judgment, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation quashed its 2007 decision to dissolve the party.

[5] He was first elected in 1993 and worked in a group of deputies from "Vibor Rossii", the main reformists party under Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

He is the author of the books Fourth Republic and The Granted Democracy and the co-coordinator of the international public committee "Russia in the United Europe".