IRI Presents Nationwide Public Opinion Poll

June 17, 2005

In May, IRI presented the results of its national public opinion poll to presidential candidates and their staffs in advance of the July 10 presidential election. This was the Kyrgyz Republic's first nationwide public opinion poll covering political issues. The poll was conducted April 15-25 using a random sample of 1,500 voting-aged residents from all regions of the country. The poll presentations were followed by message development trainings in Bishkek. The training pushed the campaign staffs towards discussion of the main issues that concern Kyrgyzstani citizens, such as unemployment, economic development and corruption.

The poll was conducted only one month following the March 24 events that drove former President Askar Akaev into self-imposed exile in Russia. The post-revolutionary atmosphere was conducive to the poll, as the respondents were eager to share their views on the political situation and felt freer to answer than before March 24.

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