(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Russia expect a tough year for their country’s finances, according to a poll by Bashkirova & Partners. 56 per cent of respondents say the economic situation will be more difficult in 2009 compared to last year.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Most people in Russia expect a tough year for their country’s finances, according to a poll by Bashkirova & Partners. 56 per cent of respondents say the economic situation will be more difficult in 2009 compared to last year.
In addition, 48.1 per cent of respondents expect this year to be generally worse than 2008 for Russia.
Russian voters renewed the State Duma in December 2007. United Russia (YR)—whose candidate list was headed by then president Vladimir Putin—secured 64.1 per cent of the vote and 315 of the legislature’s 450 seats. On that same month, Putin endorsed Dmitry 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.
Since 2007, defaults on so-called subprime mortgages—credit given to high-risk borrowers—in the United States have caused volatility in domestic and global financial markets and pushed the U.S. economy into a recession. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. The crisis has affected the global financial and credit systems.
Russia’s economy is hurting from plummeting energy prices. Since Nov. 11, Russia’s Central Bank has devalued the national currency, the ruble, 14 times. Late last year, Medvedev’s government pledged close to $200 billion U.S. for an economic stimulus package. On Jan. 11, the Russian president said that the money is not yet helping the real economy, declaring, "Many things have been implemented unjustifiably slowly."
Polling Data
In your view, will next year be more favourable, more difficult, or the same in terms of the economy?
|
|
Dec. 2008 |
Dec. 2007 |
|
More favourable |
10.8% |
32.7% |
|
Stay the same |
25.7% |
37.9% |
|
More difficult |
56.0% |
14.2% |
|
Not sure |
7.3% |
15.2% |
In your view, will next year be better or worse for Russia than the last year?
|
|
Dec. 2008 |
Dec. 2007 |
|
Better |
16.7% |
32.7% |
|
The same |
27.7% |
37.9% |
|
Worse |
48.1% |
14.2% |
|
Not sure |
7.5% |
15.2% |
Source: Bashkirova & Partners
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,500 Russian adults, conducted in December 2008. Margin of error is 2.5 per cent.
