18.05.2020
One year of President Zelenskyy: public assessments
- According to the results of the survey conducted by Rating Group during the fieldwork dates of May 12–13, 2020, one third of the population assess the direction in which the country is moving as right, while half assess it as wrong, and another 17% were unable to answer. Younger respondents, supporters of President Zelenskyy, and supporters of the Servant of the People party assess the situation more positively.
- Thirty-five percent believe that the coronavirus situation in Ukraine is currently improving, the same share believe that it is not changing, and 17% see a deterioration. Over the past two weeks, the share of those who say that the coronavirus situation is worsening has decreased almost threefold, from 44% to 17%.
- The trust rating among politicians is led by V. Zelenskyy, whom 57% of citizens trust and 37% do not trust. More than one third of respondents were unable to assess their level of trust in politicians D. Razumkov and D. Shmyhal. Overall, 25% trust D. Razumkov and 33% do not, while only 14% trust the incumbent Prime Minister and 39% do not. Distrust clearly prevails toward all other politicians: Y. Boiko is trusted by 25% and not trusted by 57%, S. Vakarchuk by 24% and 61%, Y. Tymoshenko by 22% and 72%, and P. Poroshenko by 20% and 76%.
- The parliamentary rating is led by the Servant of the People party, which would be supported by 34% among those who intend to vote and have decided on their choice. The Opposition Platform – For Life party would receive 15.1%, European Solidarity 14.0%, Batkivshchyna 9.2%, Strength and Honor 4.7%, and the Radical Party 4.0%. About 3% each are ready to support the Shariy Party, Groysman’s Ukrainian Strategy, Svoboda, and Holos.
- If presidential elections were held in the near future, 39.3% would vote for V. Zelenskyy among those who intend to vote and have decided on their choice. Thirteen point nine percent would support Y. Boiko, 13.3% P. Poroshenko, 8.6% Y. Tymoshenko, and 5.9% I. Smeshko. Support for other candidates is below 5%. About 8% remain undecided. Almost as a year ago, if V. Zelenskyy and P. Poroshenko were to advance to the second round today, 75% of voters would support the incumbent President and 25% would vote for P. Poroshenko. Similar results would be observed if Y. Boiko and Y. Tymoshenko advanced to the second round.
- Overall, among all presidents of independent Ukraine, 20% consider L. Kuchma to have been the best. Sixteen percent believe that V. Zelenskyy is the best president, 13% consider L. Kravchuk the best, 12% P. Poroshenko, 9% V. Yanukovych, and only 6% V. Yushchenko. At the same time, 14% said that none of them was the best, and another 10% were unable to answer. Residents of the southern and eastern regions more often chose L. Kuchma and V. Yanukovych, while residents of the western and central regions more often chose P. Poroshenko. V. Zelenskyy was more often chosen by younger respondents, and L. Kravchuk by older respondents.
- Respondents relatively more often characterized the periods of the presidencies of L. Kuchma and V. Zelenskyy as eras of development in Ukraine. The years of V. Yushchenko’s presidency were more often described as stagnation, while the periods of V. Yanukovych’s and P. Poroshenko’s presidencies were described as decline. Assessments on this scale show clear regional differences: residents of the East and South more often gave negative assessments when speaking about the presidencies of V. Yushchenko and P. Poroshenko, while residents of the West and Center more often assessed the presidency of V. Yanukovych as a period of decline.
- One third of respondents assess the first year of President Zelenskyy’s presidency as excellent or good, almost 40% as satisfactory, and about one third as unsatisfactory or terrible. Relatively worse assessments were given by respondents from the East, residents of cities, older respondents, and voters of P. Poroshenko and Y. Boiko. At the same time, youth and residents of the South, Center, and West gave relatively better assessments.
- The release of prisoners and hostages, as well as the fight against coronavirus, are the areas in which respondents gave the highest assessments for the first year of President Zelenskyy.
- Relatively average assessments were given to such areas as national unity, international policy, strengthening defense capabilities, social protection of the population, renewal of personnel in government, and education reform.
- At the same time, respondents assessed most negatively the reduction of oligarchs’ influence on politics, land and healthcare reforms, the fight against corruption, economic development, and the ceasefire in Donbas. Poor assessments across various areas were most often given by supporters of Y. Boiko and P. Poroshenko. At the same time, in such areas as the fight against corruption, healthcare and land reforms, and reducing the influence of oligarchs on politics, negative assessments were also given by no fewer than one third of supporters of the incumbent Head of State.
Methodology
- Audience: residents of Ukraine aged 18 and older in all regions except for the temporarily occupied territories of Crimea and Donbas. The sample is representative in terms of age, gender, and settlement type.
- Method of the survey: CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviews). Based on a random sampling of mobile phone numbers.
- Total sample: 3000 respondents.
- The margin of error with confidence level 0.95 does not exceed 1.8%.
- Period of the survey: 12-13 May, 2020.
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