Even Kremlin Pollster Reports Ratings of Putin and Russian Government have Fallen

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Nov. 11 – To retain any credibility at all, even a Kremlin loyalist pollster like the Public Opinion Foundation can’t fail to report declines in public support for Vladimir Putin and the Russian government when everyone can see that is what is happening, although it is likely that the agency has minimized the decline and that it is even worse than it is reporting.

            In its latest report, the polling agency says public support for Putin has fallen by three percent over the last week, support for his prime minister by four percent, and approval of the government fallen by four percent – with the last now below 50 percent (rusmonitor.com/dazhe-fom-zafiksiroval-snizhenie-rejtingov-putina-i-mishustina.html).

            According to the pollster, Putin’s rating still stands at a robust 75 percent of all Russians, but dissatisfaction with the powers that be has grown to 30 percent, three percent more than the last time the agency sampled the views of the Russian population.