Over 80% of Russians satisfied with Putin's answers during Q&A

Russia April 28, 2014, 16:30

Last year's connect with the people scored 54% approval, polls

MOSCOW, April 28. /ITAR-TASS/. President Vladimir Putin earned his highest rating yet from Russian viewers of his televised question-and-answer session this year, more than 80% satisfaction with his performance surpassing all the ratings of his last 11 TV marathons, poll findings suggest.

Last year's connect with the people scored 54% approval, said the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Centre (WCIOM), releasing results on Monday.

Putin's four-hour-plus grilling took more than 70 questions. Only 5% of those surveyed thought that while content engaged them, the programme lasted too long, the analysts said.

Pollsters' results suggested that 46% of those questioned showed interest in the president's performance. 14% of those surveyed watched the session from start to finish, 20% saw several live excerpts and 12% watched content from news bulletins.

53% of respondents failed to tune in, the findings indicate, sociologists suggesting that the elderly and residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg paid most attention to the event.

Events in Crimea were the topic recalled by the largest number, rated at 31% Russian-Ukraine relations ranked second, at 18% Putin’s reply to a question about a "First Lady" engaged 7%. Only 4% remembered the president's response when asked about housing, public utilities and pensions.

WCIOM surveyed 1,600 people in 130 settlements of 42 regions, territories and republics of Russia on April 19-20. The margin of error did not exceed 3.4%

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