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Parties in Place for the Elections
The ratings of the parties taking part in the elections have frozen, in spite of televised debates and free advertising in the press. According to the Levada Center pollsters, only 29 percent of the public even noticed that debates were being held. If there is any change in the standing of the parties, it is expected to be less than a percentage point. The All-Russia Center for the Study of Public Opinion (Russian abbreviation VTsIOM) found in a poll taken November 10-12 among 1600 people in 46 regions of the country that the United Russia Party has lost ground since reaching a high in popularity of 56-percent support immediately after Russian president Vladimir Putin declared that he would head its party list. That poll found that only 49 percent of the public support the party.
According to VTsIOM findings, beside United Russia, only the Communist Party is guaranteed a place in the next State Duma, having a stable 7-percent base of support. Seven percent is the minimum showing necessary to take a place in the Duma. The LDPR also has a chance. Its support is currently slightly over 6 percent. No other parties, not even Just Russia, have more than 4-percent support.
If the Communist Party becomes the only opposition party represented in the next Duma, its significance will increase dramatically. The party has already stated that its leader, Gennady Zyuganov, will run for president. VTsIOM has found that 3 percent of the population would be willing to vote for him. That is comparable to its finding that 3 percent are ready to vote for Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and 2 percent for First Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov. It is unclear how much that situation suits the Kremlin. If it does not suit it, the opposition says, there may be three or four parties represented in the next Duma after all.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Nov. 15, 2007
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