Downfall: government's leader reproaching himself? (5)

I believe the answer is:

ruing

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'reproaching himself?' is the definition.
I can't tell whether this definition defines the answer.

'downfall government's leader' is the wordplay.
'downfall' becomes 'ruin' (I've seen this before).
'leader' indicates taking the first letters.
The first letter of 'governments' is 'g'.
'ruin'+'g'='RUING'

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for ruing that I've seen before include "feeling remorse" , "Regretful" , "Having second thoughts" , "Feeling sorry for" , "full of remorse?" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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