Interfax: Putin, Medvedev, Shoigu most popular politicians in H1 2013 – Levada Center

(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 28, 2013) The ratings of Russian leaders remained stable in the first half of 2013, sociologists say.

A total of 63% respondents gave positive evaluation to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s work in June and 36% said they trusted Putin, Levada Center told Interfax on Friday on the results of the all-Russia survey.

The trust rating of Putin in January-June was 35-38% and approval 62-65%.

The work of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev satisfied in June 53% and he is trusted by 16%, a poll, held on June 20-24 in 130 settlements in 45 Russian regions, showed.

Medvedev’s trust level in January-June was 16-21% and approval 52-57%.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu is in top three of most popular politicians: 21% respondents said in June they trusted him. Shoigu’s trust level in January-June was 16-21%.

The June top ten of politicians most trusted by Russians also includes Russian Communist Party head Gennady Zyuganov (11%), Russian Liberal Democratic Party head Vladimir Zhirinovsky (10%), head of the Civil Platform party Mikhail Prokhorov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (6% each), Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia (4% each), Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko and the Just Russia leader Sergei Mironov (3% each).

Currently 20% respondents do not trust anyone.

According to the survey, 43% Russians approved of the government activities in June and 56% disapproved, as in May.

The number of respondents not happy with the State Duma remained the same as in May and is twice more than the number of those happy with it – 62% and 36% respectively.

Over a half of respondents (56%) said they were generally happy with governors (mayor in Moscow) and 43% were not.

In June 41% respondents believed things in Russia were generally going in the right direction and 43% thought otherwise.

A third of respondents (33%) said they were certain that the government would be able to improve the situation in the country this year, however 55% share the opposite point of view.

The survey showed that 44% did not rule out the 2008 economic crisis happening again in Russia and 41% did not expect such events.

When asked about the current mood, most respondents (58%) said it was “normal, even,” 13% said it was “wonderful” and 26% admitted they felt tension, fear and anxiety.