27.06.2019
“Prime-ministerial” preferences of Ukrainians
- According to a nationwide survey conducted by the Rating Group between June 12 and 20, 2019, a majority of Ukrainians (55%) believe that the future Prime Minister should be a candidate with significant experience in governing the country. At the same time, 35% expect a new figure, even one without prior experience in public administration. Support for an experienced Prime Minister increases with age. This view is most strongly shared by supporters of European Solidarity (87%), Batkivshchyna (81%), Opposition Platform – For Life (80%), and the Ukrainian Strategy of Groysman (75%). In contrast, it is least supported among voters of Svoboda (55%), Voice (52%), and Servant of the People (43%).
- When asked about specific personalities, respondents most often named Yurii Boyko (13%), Yuliia Tymoshenko (11%), and Volodymyr Groysman (10%) as their preferred future Prime Minister. Regional differences are pronounced: Groysman is more often preferred in Galicia and Central Ukraine, Boyko in the East and Donbas, and Tymoshenko in the West, North, Center, and Kyiv.
- In addition, 7% of respondents see Ihor Smeshko as a potential Prime Minister, 6% name Dmytro Razumkov, and 5% mention Sviatoslav Vakarchuk. Petro Poroshenko, Anatolii Hrytsenko, and Mikheil Saakashvili each receive 4%, while Oleh Liashko is supported by 3%. Andrii Sadovyi and Oleksandr Vilkul are each named by 2%. At the same time, 7% of respondents do not consider any of the proposed candidates suitable, and 14% remain undecided regarding their “prime-ministerial” preferences.
- Levels of trust in political leaders differ significantly. Volodymyr Zelenskyi enjoys the highest trust, with 63% saying they trust him and 25% expressing distrust. Trust in other figures is substantially lower: Sviatoslav Vakarchuk is trusted by 24% and distrusted by 57%, Anatolii Hrytsenko by 22% and distrusted by 62%, Ihor Smeshko by 21% and distrusted by 49%, and Yurii Boyko by 21% and distrusted by 62%. Yuliia Tymoshenko and Volodymyr Groysman are each trusted by 19%, but distrusted by 74% and 72% respectively. Even lower trust levels are recorded for Andrii Sadovyi (14% trust), Petro Poroshenko (14%), Oleh Liashko (12%), and Mikheil Saakashvili (11%), all of whom face very high distrust rates.
- Age differences in trust are limited for Vakarchuk, Sadovyi, and Poroshenko. In contrast, younger respondents are more likely to trust Zelenskyi, while older respondents tend to express greater trust in figures such as Hrytsenko, Smeshko, Boyko, Tymoshenko, Groysman, and Liashko.
- Regionally, Zelenskyi records the highest trust levels in the South and East of the country, where more than 70% trust him. In the Center, West, North, Kharkiv region, and Donbas, about two thirds trust him, while in Galicia and Kyiv trust levels are closer to 50%. Vakarchuk enjoys his strongest support in Galicia (52%), with relatively higher trust also observed in the West, North, Center, and Kyiv. Similar regional patterns apply to Hrytsenko, although he is somewhat less trusted in Kyiv. Smeshko is trusted more in Galicia, the West, Center, and North; Boyko primarily in the East, Kharkiv region, and Donbas; Groysman in Galicia and Central Ukraine; Tymoshenko mainly in the Center; Sadovyi, Poroshenko, and Saakashvili in Galicia; and Liashko most notably in the North.
Methodology
- Sample: population of Ukraine aged 18 and older. The sample is representative by age, gender, region, and type of settlement.
- Sample size: 6,000 respondents.
- Method: face-to-face interviews.
- Margin of error: no more than 1.3%.
- Fieldwork dates: June 12–20, 2019
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