(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – United Russia (YR) has lost some public support this month but is still Russia’s predominant political party, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 52 per cent of respondents would support the pro-Kremlin political organization in the next election to the State Duma, down five points since May.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – United Russia (YR) has lost some public support this month but is still Russia’s predominant political party, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 52 per cent of respondents would support the pro-Kremlin political organization in the next election to the State Duma, down five points since May.
The Communist Party (KPRF) is second with 17 per cent, followed by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) with nine per cent, and A Just Russia with seven per cent. Support is lower for Yabloko (Liberal), the Union of Right Forces (SPS), and the Free Russia Party.
Vladimir Putin was elected to a second term as president in March 2004 with 71.31 per cent of all cast ballots. In April 2005, Putin ruled out seeking a new mandate, saying, “I will not change the constitution and in line with the constitution, you cannot run for president three times in a row.” The next presidential election is tentatively scheduled for March 2008.
The next election to the State Duma is scheduled for Dec. 2. For the first time, all 450 lawmakers will be chosen through party-list proportional representation, with a seven per cent threshold. In the 2003 election, only four political parties—United Russia, the KPRF, the LDPR and the Motherland – National Patriotic Union (MDRT)—received more than seven per cent of the vote.
On Jun. 6, State Duma speaker and YR leader Boris Gryzlov reiterated that his party opposes the possibility of re-electing Putin again, declaring, “I have said more than once that the constitutional parliamentary majority represented by United Russia will stand guard to protect the Constitution.”
Polling Data
Imagine that parliamentary elections will be held again this Sunday. Which of the following parties would you vote for?
(Decided Voters)
Jun. 2007 | May 2007 | Apr. 2007 | |
United Russia (YR) | 52% | 57% | 53% |
Communist Party (KPRF) | 17% | 18% | 22% |
Liberal Democratic Party (LDPR) | 9% | 11% | 10% |
A Just Russia | 7% | 8% | 6% |
Yabloko (Liberal) | 4% | 1% | 4% |
Union of Right Forces (SPS) | 2% | 3% | 2% |
Free Russia Party | 2% | – | – |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews to 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Jun. 15 to Jun. 18, 2007. No margin of error was provided.
