Putin's reputation is skyrocketing

Vladimir Putin's electoral rating has skyrocketed after his public announcement to run for president in 2004. According to the recent sociological survey conducted by "The Public Opinion Fund", Putin's rating has increased 5 points and currently equals to 66%.

The survey was conducted on December 20-21, 2003. About 3,000 people from 200 regions of the Russian Federation were surveyed. Similar survey took place on December 13-14, 2003.

LDPR's leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky turned out to be second in the survey. He will also be running for president in the upcoming year. His rating however has dropped one point and is equivalent to 6%.

Only 4% of Russians are eager to cast their vote for KPRF's communist leader Gennady Zuyganov. There used to be 5% of his supporters in mid December.

The rest of the candidates received no more than 2%.

The electoral rating of liberal parties' leaders, who refused to participate in the upcoming elections, resulted in 1% ("Yabloko" Grigory Yavlinsky) and 0% ("SPS" Boris Nemtsov).

Russian President Vladimir Putin had the lowest negative rating among others. Only 2% refused to vote for the president in the forthcoming elections. Zhirinovsky and Zyuganov, on the contrary, received the most anti-ratings (36% each). 

Source: RIA "Novosti"