(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Some people in Russia think their former president and current prime minister is the person who actually holds power, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 34 per cent of respondents say the real authority in the Russian Federation lies in Vladimir Putin’s hands, down two points since last July.
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) – Some people in Russia think their former president and current prime minister is the person who actually holds power, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 34 per cent of respondents say the real authority in the Russian Federation lies in Vladimir Putin’s hands, down two points since last July.
Additionally, 50 per cent of Russians think Putin shares the country’s power with his hand-picked successor, Dmitry Medvedev. Only 12 per cent of respondents say the current Russian president is truly in charge.
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.
Mikhail Fishman, chief editor of Russian Newsweek, recently commented on the state of power-sharing in Russia, saying, "As far as any questions that have a significant impact on domestic and foreign affairs, President Medvedev won’t take a single step without considering what Putin has to say."
Polling Data
In whose hands is the real authority in the Russian Federation placed right now?
|
|
Feb. 2009 |
Jul. 2008 |
|
In Medvedev’s hands |
12% |
9% |
|
In Putin’s hands |
34% |
36% |
|
Both equally |
50% |
47% |
|
Hard to answer |
4% |
8% |
Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Feb. 20 to Feb. 23, 2009. No margin of error was provided.
