Two months ahead of the March regional elections, United Russia is way ahead of the three opposition parties.
A survey conducted by the FOM (Public Opinion Foundation) last week revealed that 55% of respondents will vote for the ruling party. The Communist Party (KPRF) has the support of 9%, followed by the LDPR with 6%, and A Just Russia with 3% of those polled.
The President of the Public Opinion Foundation, Alexander Oslon, commented on the results of the poll, noting that support for United Russia is the strongest among those who trust Putin or Medvedev. "Among such voters, 70% say they will vote for United Russia," he said, adding, "Regional elections, incidentally, confirm that United Russia is the undisputed leader."
Alexander Shatilov, deputy director of the Current Political Studies Centre, also stresses that "the gap in ratings between United Russia and the opposition is huge. However, this is a traditional gap because United Russia is firmly associated with Putin and Medvedev. Besides, the governing party is constantly emphasising that link: today, United Russia is promoting the President's modernisation programme, unlike any other political force in the country. United Russia's huge lead shows that on the eve of the March regional elections, the political alignment of forces will not change and the ruling party will gain a comfortable majority in spring," the expert says.
The Public Opinion Foundation conducted its latest survey among 2000 respondents in 100 communities of 44 regions of Russia on January 9-10.
Sergei Pavlov
