(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Russia’s former president Vladimir Putin and his anointed successor Dmitry Medvedev continue to draw massive public support, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 75 per cent of respondents approve of president Medvedev’s performance, while 85 per cent are satisfied with the work of prime minister Putin.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Russia’s former president Vladimir Putin and his anointed successor Dmitry Medvedev continue to draw massive public support, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 75 per cent of respondents approve of president Medvedev’s performance, while 85 per cent are satisfied with the work of prime minister Putin.
Approval for the two main Russian leaders has remained stable since December.
Russian voters renewed the State Duma in December 2007. United Russia (YR)—whose candidate list was headed by then president Putin—secured 64.1 per cent of the vote and 315 of the legislature’s 450 seats. On that same month, Putin endorsed Medvedev as a presidential candidate, and Medvedev said it would be of the "utmost importance" to have Putin as prime minister.
In March 2008, Medvedev easily won Russia’s presidential election with 70.28 per cent of the vote. In May, Medvedev was sworn in as president. His nomination of Putin as prime minister was confirmed by the State Duma in a 392-56 vote.
In August 2008, a military conflict broke out between Russia and Georgia over the Georgian breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, where many Russian citizens live. On Aug. 8, Georgian forces entered South Ossetia to assert sovereignty over the region, and Russia responded with a full military operation that saw Russian soldiers take control of Georgian territory beyond South Ossetia. A ceasefire was later brokered by the European Union (EU). On Aug. 26, the Russian government officially recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia.
On Jan. 23, Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili said that his country "has not had such a relentless enemy as Putin since Shah Abbas," referring to a 17th century Persian ruler who invaded the country several times.
Polling Data
Do you approve or disapprove of Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s performance?
|
|
Jan. 2009 |
Dec. 2008 |
Nov. 2008 |
|
Approve |
75% |
76% |
78% |
|
Disapprove |
22% |
21% |
17% |
Do you approve or disapprove of Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin’s performance?
|
|
Jan. 2009 |
Dec. 2008 |
Nov. 2008 |
|
Approve |
83% |
83% |
86% |
|
Disapprove |
14% |
15% |
12% |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Jan. 16 to Jan. 19, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
