More Than Half of Russians Negative on State of Economy – Poll

(Moscow Times – themoscowtimes.com – February 5, 2016)

More than half of Russians have a negative outlook for the economic situation, the highest amount since the country’s financial crisis began, the Kommersant newspaper reported Friday, citing a recent poll.

According to the results of the poll carried out by the Obshchestvennoye Mnenie (Public Opinion) Foundation, 54 percent of Russians now believe that the country’s economy is in a bad state.

Another 41 percent of respondents said the economic situation in Russia is satisfactory and only 3 percent of the participants said the economy is in a good state.

The data from the Obshchestvennoye Mnenie foundation showed that the number of Russians that have a negative view on the state of the country’s economy is rapidly increasing. This point of view was shared by 43 percent of the respondents in December last year and only 30 percent in May of 2015.

The poll also showed that more respondents – 58 percent – now think that the economic situation in the country is worsening, while a month ago this answer was given by 41 percent of people.

Meanwhile, 27 percent of Russian citizens haven’t noticed any changes in the economy and 9 percent believe the situation is improving.

The Russian economy has been experiencing a sharp contraction aggravated in 2014 by sanctions imposed on the country over its role in the conflict in eastern Ukraine as well as weakening prices for oil.

The poll was carried out on Jan. 30-31 among 1,500 respondents in 53 Russian regions.