MOSCOW, October 05, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents Vladimir Putin's political image as viewed through the eyes of Russians.
The share of positive responses about Putin has increased during the eight years that he has been in power, whereas the share of negative responses has in its turn decreased or remained unchanged. By the same token, his image maintains an astonishing stability.
Just as before, Russians consider the most attractive Putin's trait to be his energetic, decisive and forceful character: the share of those who find it attractive has increased from 43% to 56%. 42-43% of respondents for each option are drawn to Putin by the fact that he is an experienced politician, and also because he ensures stability in the country (only 8-10% of respondents considered him to possess these qualities back in 1999. 36-39% of respondents for each option highlight Putin's ability to bring order into the country, his leader qualities, the deserved respect for him on the side of the fellow citizens and his political foresight.
Putin's policy in respect to Chechnya, which was formerly supported by 24% of respondents (it used to occupy the second place in 1999), now attracts 18% of Russians, this quality now occupies the last place in the list of Putin's positive characteristics and is the only one, where the number of positive responses has reduced during the last few years.
In 1999 23% of respondents found it difficult to name Putin's positive traits, in the year 2007 only 7% do. 53% in 1999 and already 69% in 2007 could not name a single negative quality.
Putin was most frequently reproached of for his connection to B. Yeltsin and his environment (19% of respondents) eight years ago, 8% still think so today. 4-5% of respondents for each option suspect Putin to be connected with corrupted politicians; assume that the interests of people are not known to him, that he does not follow a political course; that his actions in Chechnya are directed only toward an increase in his own popularity.
Evaluating Putin as a politician and a man, the majority of Russians considers him to be energetic and initiative-taking (91%), possessing a wide scope of knowledge (88%), capable of generating ideas (64%), competent (88%), a man of principle (60%), decisive (86%), a contemporary leader (75%), who is concerned with the good of his country (79%); but at the same time a benevolent and affable man (83%), honest and considerable (72%), accessible (65%) and sincere (60%). At the same time some assume that he is inclined to indulge in intrigues, is already corrupted (16% for each option), is a man of average abilities (15%), sly, has a calculating mind (14%), is imposing, lordly (11%).
Three fourths (75%) of respondents consider that they know enough about Putin. If one wants to learn something about the President in more detail, these are as a rule his plans for the future (7%) and his personal life and family (4%).
The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on August 18-19, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
What attracts you personally to Vladimir Putin? (Any number of answers) | ||
| September 1999 | September 2007 |
He is an energetic, decisive and forceful person | 43 | 56 |
He is an experienced politician | 8 | 43 |
He is the man who maintains stability in the couunty | 10 | 42 |
He is a man who will be able to bring order into the country | 23 | 39 |
He is a real leader, capable of leading the people behind him | 10 | 38 |
He enjoys respect among the people around him | 9 | 37 |
He is a far-seeing politician | 6 | 36 |
He is a sincere, decent and unselfish person | 7 | 31 |
He is a man of principle | 9 | 29 |
He is quite good-looking | 10 | 28 |
He knows life and understands the needs of the simple normal people. | 4 | 23 |
He is capable of compromize, unifying different political forces | 6 | 22 |
He is pursuing a policy independent of Yeltsin's environment | 6 | 19 |
I support his policits in respect to Chechnya. | 24 | 18 |
Other | 1 | 2 |
Hard to say | 23 | 7 |
What do you not like about Vladimir Putin? (Any number of answers) | ||
| September 1999 | September 2007 |
He does not have any distinctive political qualities | 8 | 3 |
He is a week and indecisive person | 1 | 2 |
He is too strict a politician | 5 | 2 |
He is a short-sighted politician | 2 | 2 |
He is not capable of leading people behind him | 4 | 1 |
He is not handling the governmental functions well | 3 | 3 |
He does not enjoy the respect of the people around me | 2 | 1 |
He does not have a distinctive political course | 6 | 4 |
He is not capable of compromise | 2 | 2 |
He is connected with Yeltsin and his environment | 19 | 8 |
His actions in Chechnya only aim at increasing his own popularity. | 5 | 4 |
He is connected with the corrupted politicians | 3 | 5 |
He is a man of no principle | 1 | 1 |
He is far from the people's interests | 4 | 5 |
He is not really good-looking | 3 | 1 |
Other | 4 | 7 |
Hard to say | 53 | 69 |
Please choose one quality from each pair that is most characteristic of V. Putin | ||
| January 2006 | September 2007 |
1. |
|
|
More likely energetic, initiative | 91 | 91 |
More likely half-hearted, passive | 4 | 3 |
Hard to say | 5 | 6 |
2. |
|
|
More likely decisive | 85 | 86 |
More likely indecisive | 9 | 7 |
Hard to say | 6 | 7 |
3. |
|
|
More likely competent | 86 | 88 |
More likely incompetent | 7 | 4 |
Hard to say | 7 | 8 |
4. |
|
|
More likely possesses a wide area of thought | 90 | 88 |
More likely narrow-minded | 4 | 3 |
Hard to say | 6 | 9 |
5. |
|
|
More likely sincere, decent | 72 | 72 |
More likely sly, with a calculating mind | 15 | 14 |
Hard to say | 13 | 14 |
6. |
|
|
More likely corrupted | 16 | 16 |
More likely independent, a man of principles | 65 | 60 |
Hard to say | 19 | 24 |
7. |
|
|
More likely inclined to indulge in intrigues | 17 | 16 |
More likely open-minded | 65 | 60 |
Hard to say | 18 | 24 |
8. |
|
|
More likely a leader of the Soviet type | 13 | 13 |
More likely a contemporary leader | 78 | 75 |
Hard to say | 9 | 12 |
9. |
|
|
More likely to think of the country's goods | 81 | 79 |
More likely to be indifferent to the country and the people | 10 | 8 |
Hard to say | 9 | 13 |
10. |
|
|
More likely to be benevolent, affable | 83 | 83 |
More likely to be unaffable, gloomy | 8 | 5 |
Hard to say | 9 | 12 |
11. |
|
|
More likely to be soft-spoken, flattering | 9 | 8 |
More likely to be foreright, critical | 76 | 72 |
Hard to say | 15 | 20 |
12. |
|
|
More likely to be imposing, lordly | 12 | 11 |
More likely to be simple and accessible | 70 | 65 |
Hard to say | 18 | 24 |
13. |
|
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More likely to be an intellectual, a generator of ideas | 69 | 64 |
More likely to be the usual clerk of average abilities | 15 | 15 |
Hard to say | 16 | 21 |
Would you like to learn more about Vladimir Putin, if so, what exactly would you like to know? (Up to three answers) | |
Putin's plans for the future | 7 |
His personal life and the life of his family | 4 |
His hobbies, the way he spends his free time | 1 |
Details from his biography | 1 |
His degree of corruption, whether the mafia has influence on him | 0 |
Other | 1 |
No, the amount of information about Vladimir Putin is quite sufficient | 75 |
Hard to say | 11 |