[subway]

Fear that the new power won't overlook the misdeeds they (the old power) undertook while in power.

[neverminder]

I've heard someone say that Putin is at the same time the ruler and prisoner of Kremlin for exactly this reason.

[makmanalp]

I've read something that Yeltsin resigned to Putin in exchange for forgiveness, whatever that entails: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Yeltsin#Resignation_2