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More Than Half of Russians Criticize Putin For Delegating Representatives
to TV Debates - Poll
Interfax - 2.8.12 - JRL 2012-23

MOSCOW. Feb 7 (Interfax) - More than half of Russians - 56% - disapprove of Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin's decision to delegate his representatives to take part in election debates with other presidential candidates, and 20% of these people are categorically against this decision, a poll has shown. Another 23% of the respondents consider Putin's decision correct, and 21% could not formulate their attitude, the Levada Center public opinion service told Interfax based on the results of a poll of 1,600 people it conducted in 130 populated areas in 45 regions on January 27-30.

Nearly half of those polled - 49% - believe the other presidential candidates should not refuse to participate in TV debates with Putin's representatives, 33% believe they should, and 18% are undecided.

Asked whether they believe Putin must take a leave during the election campaign, 45% said he must do it, while 48% hold the opposition opinion.

Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Interfax earlier that Putin's representatives would take part in debates instead of him. "The core of this group has already been formed, but its composition could yet be updated," he said.

The TV debates started on February 6.

At the first debates with Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Putin was represented by political analyst Natalya Narochnitskaya, the head of the European Institute for Democracy and Cooperation.

The debates between Zhirinovsky and Narochnitskaya were recorded on Monday evening and were broadcast on Channel One in a number of Far Easter regions of Russia on Tuesday morning.

In commenting on the debates to journalists on Tuesday, Zhirinovsky said he was outraged by the fact that Narochnitskaya was replacing Putin. "These are not debates but a comedy," Zhirinovsky said.

Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russia News - Russia

 

MOSCOW. Feb 7 (Interfax) - More than half of Russians - 56% - disapprove of Prime Minister and presidential candidate Vladimir Putin's decision to delegate his representatives to take part in election debates with other presidential candidates, and 20% of these people are categorically against this decision, a poll has shown.

Another 23% of the respondents consider Putin's decision correct, and 21% could not formulate their attitude, the Levada Center public opinion service told Interfax based on the results of a poll of 1,600 people it conducted in 130 populated areas in 45 regions on January 27-30.

Nearly half of those polled - 49% - believe the other presidential candidates should not refuse to participate in TV debates with Putin's representatives, 33% believe they should, and 18% are undecided.

Asked whether they believe Putin must take a leave during the election campaign, 45% said he must do it, while 48% hold the opposition opinion.

Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Interfax earlier that Putin's representatives would take part in debates instead of him. "The core of this group has already been formed, but its composition could yet be updated," he said.

The TV debates started on February 6.

At the first debates with Liberal Democratic Party leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, Putin was represented by political analyst Natalya Narochnitskaya, the head of the European Institute for Democracy and Cooperation.

The debates between Zhirinovsky and Narochnitskaya were recorded on Monday evening and were broadcast on Channel One in a number of Far Easter regions of Russia on Tuesday morning.

In commenting on the debates to journalists on Tuesday, Zhirinovsky said he was outraged by the fact that Narochnitskaya was replacing Putin. "These are not debates but a comedy," Zhirinovsky said.