English

Poll: Lukashenka`s approval rating slightly improved before end of 2011

Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s approval rating slightly improved before the end of the year 2011, rising from a historic low of 20.5 percent in September to 24.9 percent in December, according to a survey carried out by the Lithuanian-registered Independent Institute of Social, Economic and Political Studies (IISEPS), BelaPAN said.

The share of those trusting Mr. Lukashenka increased from 24.5 to 31.2 percent in the period, said IISEPS.

Almost 56 percent of the respondents questioned in the December poll said that they believed that the general situation in Belarus was “developing in the wrong direction” against 68.5 percent in September. The share of those optimistic about the situation went up from 17 to 25.6 percent.

Fifty-four percent of the respondents in the December poll put the blame for the country’s economic crisis on Mr. Lukashenka, which was down from 61.2 percent in September. Meanwhile, the share of those accusing the Council of Ministers of the crisis increased from 41.3 to 44.6 percent, and the proportion of those pointing the finger at the national legislature rose from 11.9 to 19.5 percent.

Thirty-two percent of the respondents surveyed in December said that they believed that the situation in the country would improve after Lukashenka quit against 21.5 percent who said that they pinned all hopes on the Belarusian leader. The share of those believing that the situation would not change dropped from 34.8 to 26.9 percent.

To a question, “If you knew a person who could successfully compete against Lukashenka in the next presidential election, would you vote for the person or Lukashenka?”, 44.6 percent of the respondents in the December survey answered positively, while 21.7 percent said “No.” Thirty-three percent said that did not know.

As for the economic situation, eighty-one percent said that the economy was experiencing a crisis against 87.6 percent in September. Sixty percent noted the worsening of their financial circumstances in the last three months compared with 73.7 percent in September. The share of those expecting the economic situation to worsen further in the short run decreased from 52.7 to 45 percent.

The share of those who believe that their financial circumstances improved rose by two percent and the proportion of those confident about the future increased by 4.2 percent. IISEPS experts linked the increase to “the mechanism of negative adaptation,” which they said is common among the Belarusians.

“A certain improvement in financial circumstances coupled with disbelief in the possibility of cardinal changes was behind a decrease in protest sentiments in society,” the experts said.

The share of those viewing themselves as government opponents fell from 28.3 to 22.6 percent in the last four months of 2011. Almost 44 percent of the respondents questioned in December said that they backed opposition activists, while 40.1 percent said that they disapproved of them.

The share of those ready to join rallies, demonstrations, strikes or military actions to express their beliefs remained at some 20 percent. Less than nine percent said that they had taken part in such public shows of discontent.