(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two-in-five adults in Russia think the sitting government did little in the past year, according to a poll by the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center. 40 per cent of respondents say the government has no achievements whatsoever.
Also, there is little consensus as to what were the government's main failures in the past year. 18 per cent of respondents mention the economic crisis, followed by price increases and high inflation. 43 per cent of respondents said this question was hard to answer.
Russian voters renewed the State Duma in December 2007. United Russia (YR)-whose candidate list was headed by then president Vladimir Putin-secured 64.1 per cent of the vote and 315 of the legislature's 450 seats. On that same month, Putin endorsed Dmitry Medvedev as a presidential candidate, and Medvedev said it would be of the "utmost importance" to have Putin as prime minister.
In March 2008, Medvedev easily won Russia's presidential election with 70.28 per cent of the vote. In May, Medvedev was sworn in as president. His nomination of Putin as prime minister was confirmed by the State Duma in a 392-56 vote.
Several analysts have warned that an ongoing economic slowdown in Russia could bring ruptures within the governing elite and even force political leaders out of office.
On Mar. 4, Georgy Bovt, co-chairman of the opposition party The Right Cause, declared: "This fight is dangerous for both men. If either Putin or Medvedev left power, it would be a huge political crisis."
Polling Data
In your view, what were the main achievements in the government over the past year? (Three answers allowed)
There were no achievements whatsoever | 40% |
Increase in wages, pensions, grants | 7% |
The stable development of the country | 4% |
Victory in the Georgian conflict | 3% |
Better social services (education, health care) | 3% |
Successful solution of gas conflict with the Ukraine | 3% |
Adoption of an effective anti-crisis plan | 2% |
Development of national projects | 2% |
Better armed forces / Defence / Combating terrorism | 2% |
Successes in foreign policy | 2% |
Winning the Winter Olympic bid | 1% |
Introduction of the stabilizer fund | 1% |
Introduction of anti-corruption legislation | 1% |
Mortgage underwriting / Housing | 1% |
Development of industry sector and science | 1% |
Successes in demographic policy | 1% |
Other | 1% |
Hard to answer | 35% |
In your view, what were the main failures in the government over the past year? (Three answers allowed)
There were no failures whatsoever | 18% |
Economic crisis | 18% |
Price increases / High inflation | 8% |
Increase in unemployment, reduction of wages | 5% |
Poverty / Lower standard of living / Low pensions | 5% |
Failure of national projects | 3% |
Increase in corruption | 2% |
Worse social services (health care, pension system) | 2% |
Decline of agriculture | 2% |
Gas crisis | 2% |
Stagnation of industry sector | 2% |
Increase in service tariffs | 1% |
Higher housing prices | 1% |
Worse armed forces / Defence | 1% |
Devaluation of the ruble | 1% |
War with Georgia | 1% |
Higher duties for foreign products | 1% |
Other | 1% |
Hard to answer | 43% |
Source: All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Dec. 8 and Dec. 9, 2008. Margin of error is 3.4 per cent.
Angus Reid Global Monitor