IRI Releases Pre-Parliamentary Elections Survey of Ukrainian Public Opinion

Kyiv, Ukraine – IRI today released its first in a series of national polls of Ukrainian public opinion.  The poll, conducted October 30 – November 11, 2011, is a comprehensive analysis of attitudes regarding the current Ukrainian economic, social and political landscape. 

Among the findings in the poll, 13 percent of Ukrainians believe that the country is moving in the right direction, while 71 percent believe it is moving in the wrong direction.  The three most important issues facing Ukrainians are: unemployment, corruption within the state bodies and low industrial production. 

Additionally, 81 percent support the international community freezing the international assets of and suspending visas for Ukrainian officials, including judges, engaged in corrupt practices, while only six percent oppose such actions.

Finally, representative of the general mood in the country, three percent believe that the 2012 parliamentary elections will be absolutely free and fair, while 15 percent believe the elections will be somewhat free and fair.  These numbers contrast with 39 percent of respondents who believe that the elections will be somewhat not free and fair and 26 percent who believe the elections will be absolutely not free and fair

Most recently, IRI conducted two public opinion surveys on the Crimean peninsula (November 2011 and December 2009).  Data collected for IRI surveys is used to gauge public opinion and to assist IRI’s political party partners with building platforms based on the issues most important to the Ukrainian people. 

The randomly collected sample of 2,016 men and women of voting age was collected nationwide.  The study was analyzed by Baltic Surveys/The Gallup Organization.  The survey was fielded by the Rating Group under the supervision of IRI.  The margin of error for the national sample does not exceed plus or minus 2.2 percent.