Vladimir Putin’s Decreasing Popularity May Be Irreversible: Poll
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Sasha Mordovets/Getty Images(MOSCOW) — An independent Russian polling group says President Vladimir Putin’s decreasing popularity may be irreversible.
Putin remains Russia’s most popular politician, but the independent Levada Center released a report on Thursday that found his ratings in key categories like professionalism have continued to drop.
That center is not alone in predicting that Russia’s season of political unrest will continue as Putin’s aura of invincibility fades. Citibank’s chief economist in Russia recently predicted that the Kremlin will be constrained due to declining oil revenues and a persistent protest movement.
Tens of thousands of people marched against Putin on the eve of his inauguration earlier this month, and a smaller group has attempted to occupy a central Moscow square. At any given time between a few dozen to a few thousand people have camped out in silent protest. They’ve played a cat and mouse game with riot police who chase them from one location to another. Dozens have been arrested.
Putin’s spokesman has dismissed the occupy campers, but the heavy-handed crackdown on opposition figures, many of whom were detained on inauguration day simply for wearing the opposition’s iconic white ribbons, shows that Putin isn’t taking any chances.
Opposition leaders have announced plans for a march in St. Petersburg, and another big rally in Moscow is scheduled for June.
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