Most Russians Are Ready for Diarchy
Most Russians are ready to vote for First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev as “for Putin’s continuation,” doubting, however, that the future will be bright to the extent promised by the federal TV channels during the election campaign.
Medvedev’s victory is doubted by no one, including those willing to vote for his competitors. But the well-known result hasn’t affected the nation’s desire to turn out at polling stations. Some 80 percent of 1,600 respondents polled by Levada-Center February 8 to 11 said they will vote at March 2 election. Of them, 80 percent intend to back up Medvedev, Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov will be supported by 11 percent and LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky is likely to collect 9 percent of all votes.
For the better part of Medvedev’s supporters, he “is yet the continuation, the copy of Putin,” so the nation’s expectations are similar to those built up before presidential election of 2000 and 2004. Some 51 percent expect him to secure the great-power status for Russia, and the rule of law and order in the country are the highlights for 45 percent. Some 41 percent would like Medvedev to ensure fair distribution of income, 34 percent expect social protection from him and 34 percent want him to step up the government’s share in economy.
So, today’s concern of the nation is the actual distribution of power in Putin–Medvedev tandem, the more so that Vladimir Putin has already declared desire to get the PM’s office in time of Medvedev’s ruling. Some 41 percent of respondents think both leaders will be equal after March 2 election, 23 percent predict Putin to keep the authority, but 20 percent expect Medvedev to emerge as the leader. At the same time, 47 percent of the polled want Putin to remain Russia’s president, viewing election as something inevitable.
www.kommersnat.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 15, 2008
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