A recent survey dedicated to Vladimir Putin was carried out by the Levada Center among 1600 persons. The main result of the survey is that the best part of Russians still rate Putin’s work high.
The president of Russia’s rating soared after the annexation of Crimea, Levada told Belsat TV.
Sense of greatness
“The fact of annexation of Crimea was not so important, they forgot about it pretty quickly, although there was some euphoria… The feeling that Russia s emerging as a great power as of importance,” Levada Center sociologist Denis Volkov explains.
“What do you like about Putin?” sociologists asked. Respondents could choose epithets on their own and name more than one position. 19% of Russians called Putin ‘macho’, ‘tough’, ‘a man’s man’. Approximately the same number of appreciate Putin’s style of pursuing foreign policy. Crimea itself thrived off, but the impression remained.
“If we get to know for what he is liked, we will see there have been few specific achievements. They mentioned foreign policy and – rarely – economic stability,” Mr. Volkov added.
Putin’s negative traits
According to some interviewees, Putin does not care about people, he is too kind to ministers and Dmitry Medvedev. The respondents hardly mentioned his authoritarianism and persecution of opposition; one in five Russians considers that Putin is perfect.
According to the survey, siloviki, oligarchs and officials are the backbone of the presidential power. In turn, he also supports these groups. The middle class and ordinary workers separate the drop in their wellbeing welfare from Russia’s greatness, political scientist Sergei Nikolyuk believes. But propaganda can only strengthen or weaken people’s view of things.
Although non-government Levada Center has been already declared a ‘foreign agent’ in Russia, the sociologists are convinced that the results of their work authorities will be taken into account by the Kremlin.
Belsat.eu
