One year after elections Russians stopped calling the United Russia party a “party of crooks and thieves”.

MOSCOW, December 7, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data concerning the Russian attitudes towards the United Russia party: what they think about the party’s course; how they assess its perspectives.

Over the recent half a year no substantial changes have been revealed in Russian attitudes towards the United Russia party: 42% report that they favor this party (the share of new supporter is only 6%); 49% do not like it (and 15% have recently been disappointed in the party).

Today 15% of respondents have friends who are members of United Russia party. Most of them are perceived positively by others: honest (12%), single-minded (8%), full of energy (7%), responsible, responsive (6%, for each), educated (4%) and just (3%). Negative attitudes are rarely reported: most of them are as follows: toadies, careerists, not keeping their promises (3%, for each), “all of them are bosses” (5%).

The image of United Russia party is ambiguous: the same traits can attract one part of respondents and, on the contrary, spurn another part of respondents. The party program is equally assessed positively and negatively by different respondents (7%);  the way the party leaders behave in different situations, as well as their general image, is assessed by 2% (for each); the use of resources, including administrative resources, are pointed out by 4 and 3% of respondents, respectively. The results of the party`s activities are evaluated rather negatively: 25% believe that nothing has been achieved, at the same time 19% oppose this stance. The Putin’s support of the party is assessed rather positively: 2% favor his support. Over the recent eight months the following features have been assessed less negatively: corruptibility of party members (from 10 to 2%) and the way the members behave (from 8 to 2%). On the contrary, Russians increasingly point out that the party has not achieved any success (from 15 to 25%).

Positive assessments towards United Russia party are expressed twice often than the negative ones. Over the recent year the share of positive attitudes has dramatically increased, on the contrary, the share of negative attitudes has decreased. According to Russians, assessing the course of the party positively, the party has changed its top priorities since March 2012. Whereas in March the main policies seemed to be aimed at the revival of Russia (from 11 to 9%), today the key priority is taking care of people (from 9 to 13%). More respondents assess the political course of the party positively in general, not giving any details about it (from 5 to 9%). The attitudes of those who negatively asses the political course of the party has not changed much. The basic claims against the party are as follows: embezzlement of funds (5%), desire to hold on to power at all costs (6%), and pursuing a course of disintegration (4%).

Thinking over the interests that the United Russia party represents, most of respondents conclude that the party represents the interests of people in general (28%). Some respodnents still believe that the party represents narrow interests of members of the party (18%), big businessmen (12%), or government officials (9%). 

According to Russians, the political prospects of the United Russia party greatly worsened in March 2012: more respondents started to forecast its further weakening and stagnation, rarer – strength and development. Eight months later the situation slightly improved: the share of pessimistic views has decreased (from 27 to 21%), and the share of optimistic views has increased (from 29 to 37%). The positive outlook slightly dominates over the status-quo position (37 versus 34%); whereas in March the situation was opposite (29 versus 34%).

The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted on November 17-18, 2012. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.

**the question was: “A new president was elected in Russia – Dmitry Medvedev. Vladimir Putin will serve as prime-minister and will lead the United Russia party. In your opinion, what are the political prospects of this party?”

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