Author: VK
At the end of the year, staff of the Public Opinion Foundation questions people on whether the year was better or worse than the previous one. As a result, the last dozen of years give an image of development of the Russian society and government. In 1998, the default year, had 80% of interviewed state that the year was worse than the one before. 1998 was considered the worst year, according to social polls. Pessimism reduced in the next years. The other worst years were 2008 and 2009, when the global economic recession was especially clear. The situation stabilized in 2010. Only 15% of people questioned said that 2011 had been worse than 2010.
Alexander Oslon, President of the Public Opinion Foundation, has not made any detailed forecasts for 2012. Concerning public opinion, only 14% of Russians expect 2012 to be worse than 2011, most have no expectations for global changes for the worse or better.
Sociologists asked Russians political questions as well, in particular, about their preferences at the presidential polls, if they were held the next day after questioning. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin had a rating of 56% in late 2010, 52% in Q1 2011, 41% on the eve of parliamentary polls. There was also less trust in United Russia, President Dmitry Medvedev and the government as a whole. The tendency became more evident in early 2011. Alexander Oslon believes that the cause lies in dramatic increase of prices for food and services, particularly in housing and utilities. 80% of people call the prices unreasonable. People gradually got used to the new prices, but stress affecting dozens of millions at the same time left a patch, although achievements of the year were not that bad. It must be noted that more people started supporting Putin after parliamentary polls. Only 2% of the interviewed expressed willingness to vote for Yavlinsky, Prokhorov and Mironov are supported by 4%. Ratings of Zyuganov and Zhirinovski improved too.
Concerning public support of Putin since his entering the political arena in mid-1999 when he was prime minister working actively with Dagestan, he had support of 3% of the population. As the Acting President in January 2000, Putin gained support of 57%. Then his rating dropped to 46%, but he got 53% of vote at the presidential polls. Alexander Oslon concludes that the core of voters is sustainably 26% of the population, 52% said they would vote for Putin. Although, that does not mean that all people questioned would take part in the elections or stick to their preferences.
Thus, the elections in March should have nothing surprising, although some electoral groups have different data on support of the government. There are more inhabitants of the Siberian and Volga Federal Districts, villagers, people with low or medium education, people with income above average, women and the elderly willing to vote for Putin than 52-59%.
On the other hand, such inhabitants of the Central Federal District, Moscow, people with higher education, people integrated in modern society (users of the Internet, clients of fitness centers, users of credit cards), people of middle age (45-54, men, on the contrary, refuse to vote for Vladimir Putin. Exteriorly, such low support in the groups is a result of recent parliamentary polls. But Alexander Oslon reckons that it the government does not this category of people an opportunity for efficient realization of their goals.
