MOSCOW, June 22, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how Russians assess the joint work of Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, who has the leading role, and how long Putin-Medvedev tandem will exist.
In Russians` opinion, the real power in Russia belongs to President Dmitry Medvedev and prime-minister Vladimir Putin equally (21% of respondents think so). In contrast, 17% think that the ruling power belongs to oligarchs, rich people and businessmen. Less popular replies are Government (6%), politicians, deputies, officials (5%), bandits (5%), "United Russia" party (4%), people (2%), bankers and corrupt officials (1% for each), other 1% are confident that there is no real power in Russia. However, every forth (25%) do not have any idea about who rules Russia.
Asked who is the most influential politician in Russia, respondents definitely name Putin (69%). Twenty-one percents mention Medvedev. Three percent of respondents name Vladimir Zhirinovsky; Gennady Zyuganov, Sergey Lavrov, Yury Luzhkov and oligarchs were mentioned by 1% (for each); other 1% thinks that there are no such politicians in Russia. 21% were undecided.
The majority of Russians (64%) are confident that Dmitry Medvedev and Vladimir Putin effectively rule the country (including 15% - very effectively, 49% - rather effectively). This point of view is mainly shared by supporters of "United Russia" (81%) and "Fair Russia" (73%) parties, and those who approve the performance of the president (80%) and the chairman of the government (76%). This position is also supported by 23% of Russians assessing the dual leadership of Putin and Medvedev as ineffective (18% - rather ineffectively, 5% - very ineffectively). Negative assessments are basically given by democrats and election absentees (50% for each), as well as those who disapprove Medvedev`s and Putin` s activities (65% for each). It is remarkable that those who consider joint leadership effective are 23% among those who positively assess President`s performance, and twice less (12%) among those approving prime-minister's activity.
Russians think that the secret to joint leadership success lies in coherent work and team spirit (17%). Thirteen percent judge the effectiveness of the tandem by real results, improved living standards (13%). Other arguments are as follows: common vision of the country's development direction (9%), social policy and effective anti-crisis measures that make the crisis invisible (8% for each). The effectiveness of the joint work of Putin and Medvedev is resulted from the following things: they ideally complement each other, they combine experience and youth, they provide continuity of policies, stability and order in the country (4% for each). There are also those who think that it is easier to jointly rule the country, that Medvedev and Putin conduct right foreign policy, and they have good leadership skills and solve problems quickly (3% for each).
Those respondents who assess the tandem work as being ineffective think that the reasons lie in decreased living standards (18%). The second popular answer was the lack of positive dynamics in country's development (16%). Twelve percents (for each) point out crisis and ineffective measures to combat it, as well as the lack of real results. Russians also mention inflation (10%), high unemployment level (8%), and corruption (6%), wrong course of the government (5%), delayed salaries (3%) and other. Meanwhile, in 9% of cases respondents think that joint leadership of Medvedev and Putin is less effective than personal leadership of Putin.
Most of Russians consider that Medvedev and Putin are equal partners (48%). The share of such respondents is the highest among those who approve activity of the president (56%) and chairman of the government (53%), as well as those who assess their joint work as effective (59%). The second position is held by those respondents who think that Medvedev works under Putin`s guidance (35%). As a rule, those who think so disapprove Medvedev`s and Putin`s performance (44% and 49% respectively), as well as Russians who are confident that work in tandem is ineffective (48%). Five percents think that the leading role belongs to Medvedev, and Putin is ruled by him. And finally, 3% are confident that their relationships are based on competitiveness and struggle for leadership.
Two thirds of Russians think that Putin-Medvedev tandem will last for long (63%). Most of them are "United Russia" adherents (74%) and those who are confident about their equality (76%). Only every tenth (11%) think that the tandem is fragile and forecast its dissolution due to crisis; most of such respondents are LDPR supporters (20%) and those who think that Medvedev and Putin are competitors (54%); 22% were undecided.
The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on June 13-14, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia. The margin of error doesnot exceed 3.4%.
In your opinion, who has the real power in Russia? | |
Putin | 21 |
Medvedev | 21 |
Oligarchs, rich people, businessmen | 17 |
Government | 6 |
Bandits, criminal | 5 |
Politicians, deputies, officials | 5 |
United Russia | 4 |
People | 2 |
Bankers | 1 |
corrupted officials | 1 |
no one, there is no real power | 1 |
other | 2 |
hard to tell | 25 |
In your opinion, who is the most influential politician in Russia? | |
Putin | 69 |
Medvedev | 21 |
Zhirinovsky | 3 |
Zyuganov | 1 |
Lavrov | 1 |
Luzhkov | 1 |
Oligarchs | 1 |
No one | 1 |
Other | 1 |
Hard to tell | 21 |
It has been a year since Dmitrty Medvedev took the president`s office, and Vladimir Putin became the Prime-Minister of the country. In your opinion, is their leadership effective? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Political parties supporters | ||||
United Russia | CPRF | LDPR | Fair Russia | Democrats (Pravoe Delo +Yabloko) | ||
very effective | 15 | 20 | 3 | 12 | 20 | 17 |
rather effective | 49 | 61 | 34 | 28 | 53 | 33 |
rather ineffective | 18 | 8 | 31 | 39 | 19 | 44 |
very ineffective | 5 | 1 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 6 |
hard to tell | 13 | 10 | 17 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
If you consider Putin-Medvedev joint leadership effective, then why? | |
coherent work, work as a team | 17 |
there is real results of their work; living standards improved | 13 |
common vision of the country`s development direction | 9 |
close attention to social policy | 8 |
effective anti-crisis measures; crisis is almost invisible | 8 |
continuity of policies, constant course | 4 |
stable situation and order in the country | 4 |
they ideally complement each other | 4 |
Putin as an experienced and strong leader helps Medvedev | 4 |
it is easier to jointly rule the country | 3 |
they improved the image of Russia in the world and they conduct the right foreign policy | 3 |
personal traits: youth, energy, good education | 3 |
they solve the problems quickly | 3 |
other | 1 |
hard to tell | 28 |
If you consider Putin-Medvedev joint leadership ineffective, then why? | |
decreasing living standards | 18 |
no changes for best | 16 |
they have not prevented the crisis, and they use ineffective measures to combat it | 12 |
there are no real decisions, they are only on papers | 12 |
inflation, prices increase | 10 |
Joint leadership is less effective than Putin ruling alone | 9 |
high unemployment level | 8 |
corruption | 6 |
incompetence, wrong development course | 5 |
they do not help people | 4 |
they do not control the execution of their decisions by officials | 4 |
they delay and decrease salaries | 3 |
they do not think about the Far East of Russia and its residents | 1 |
they put too much attention to foreign policy and they conduct foreign policy in a wrong way | 1 |
other | 5 |
hard to tell | 13 |
In you opinion, what kind of relationships are between Putin and Medvedev? | |||
| Total respondents | those who think that Putin and Medvedev rule the country effectively | those who think that Putin and Medvedev rule the country ineffectively |
they work as equal partners | 48 | 59 | 22 |
Medvedev works under the guidance of Putin | 35 | 30 | 48 |
Putin works under the guidance of Medvedev | 5 | 6 | 5 |
they compete and struggle for the leadership | 3 | 1 | 8 |
hard to tell | 9 | 4 | 17 |
In your opinion, how long will Medvedev-Putin tandem exist? | ||||||
| Total respondents | Supporters of political parties | ||||
United Russia | CPRF | LDPR | Fair Russia | Democrats (Pravoe Delo +Yabloko) | ||
It is a long-term union; I cannot see any reasons that could destroy it | 63 | 74 | 52 | 49 | 69 | 56 |
the tandem is fragile and will be destroyed by the crisis | 11 | 7 | 17 | 20 | 8 | 6 |
other | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
hard to tell | 22 | 16 | 27 | 24 | 20 | 28 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,
the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!