Yuri Levada’s Research Centre has publicized results of a regular poll on the public’s opinion on the state administration and political elite. The pollees expressed their position on the issue whether the state development has a correct direction (43% of the respondent agree to this statement), or the state has incorrect development direction (35% of the respondents support this assumption). Being asked to assess the Government’s practice, only 50% of the participants considered it as positive, and 48% of them held a negative opinion. Simultaneously Russian President Vladimir Putin’s and Premier Dmitry Medvedev’s ratings remain high – 74% of the pollees support D.Medvedev and 79% – V.Putin.

Levada Centre, November 26

http://www.levada.ru/press/2009112600.html

As compared with similar previous polls, the results of this one do not reveal any drastic changes in Russian citizens’ attitude towards the state authorities and political leaders. However, there are some changes also this time. For example, in October 49% of the respondents considered the state development direction as correct, but in November support was expressed by 6% less citizens. This decrease in support may be explained by economic crisis and the growing social tension. Over the last months, the assessment of Russian government’s activities has been increasingly critical, which can be considered as the effect of the crisis. At the same time, the assessment of the two leaders of the state remains constantly positive. It let us assume that in case social tension reaches the level demanding dismissal of the Government, Vladimir Putin, being supported by Dmitry Medvedev, would maintain his leading position just making some changes in the Cabinet membership, explaining such behaviour by the intense support on the part of the public. These ratings would allow also avoiding the tradition of accusing the whole government of political problems meaning the necessity to replace the whole government and assigning a new Cabinet and Premier. In the present situation, Ministers may be the scapegoats. Here is some contradiction, however, for the head of the government is responsible for activities of all the government members, respectively a low rating of the government should be followed by a low rating of the premier. And the difference in the ratings raises the question how Russian citizens see Vladimir Putin – as the Government leader or as the State leader?