Only 8% of Russians happy with government – poll

MOSCOW. Dec 11 (Interfax) – The majority of Russians are discontent with the government although the share of happy persons has grown from 6% to 8% over the past years, Levada Center told Interfax on Tuesday.

Fifty-two percent blame the government for inability to curb down inflation and to stop a decline in personal incomes. The respondents were polled in 46 regions on November 23-26. The indicator stood at 56% two years earlier.

There has been a decrease in the number of Russians blaming the government for inability to create jobs (from 37% to 33%) and to give social protection to the population (from 37% to 32%), for acting in the interest of foreign capital (from 10% to 8%) and for failing to restore stability in the North Caucasus (from 8% to 5%).

Meanwhile, the number of Russians who think that the government is corrupt and selfish has grown from 30% to 32% since 2011. Twenty-one percent blame the government for lacking a considered program of national economic development (24% in 2011). Fifteen percent say the government is not efficient enough in fighting crime (17%).

Twenty-one percent say the government cannot cope with the economic crisis, 20% say the government works for big business only, and 12% believe that government members are not professional.

The total exceeds 100% because respondents could choose several answers.

The claims have an effect on the government’s approval rating.

Some 52% said that the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Cabinet was “not quite effective” and 17% called it “totally inefficient”. Twenty-seven percent argued that the government “was very or rather efficient.”

Sixty-one percent said the government had no anti-crisis program but just a general impression of the required measures, and 26% disagreed.

A half of Russians predict that Medvedev would remain the premier until the end of President Vladimir Putin’s office. Only 14% think he will keep the position for three or four years, and 12% give him only a year or two. Three percent do not rule out Medvedev’s dismissal within “several
months.”

Some 38% gave an affirmative answer to the direct question if they would support the Russian government’s immediate dismissal, and 41% said “no”.