Russians Say They Support Putin if They Think He is Popular and Don’t If They Think He Isn’t, Sociologists Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Sept. 1 – Most analysts assume that Russians tell pollsters that they support Putin either because they really do or because they assume that saying anything else could land them in trouble. But there is another reason, sociologists say. Many Russians will say they support Putin if they think he is popular but won’t if they think he isn’t.

            Intriguingly, these researchers say, according to Moscow writer Anastasiya Nebolshina, that this linkage between declarations of support and perceptions of popularity works only in one direction. If Russians think that his popularity is falling, then they are less likely to say they support him (ehorussia.com/new/node/31519).

            But if they believe that Putin’s popularity is increasing, then, the sociologists report, that has almost no impact on the share of Russians who declare that they support the Kremlin leader. That means that as long as the image of Putin as a popular leader is maintained so too will the level of declared support for him.