MOSCOW, June 4. /TASS/. More than 40% of Ukrainian citizens believe democracy has declined in the country under the presidency of Vladimir Zelensky, according to a poll conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS).

According to KIIS, 90% of respondents said that they want Ukraine to fully embrace democratic ideals. However, 43% of Ukrainians say that democracy has deteriorated over the last five years during Zelensky’s presidential term.

Respondents were also asked which form of government they prefer - one with a stronger president or a stronger parliament. The overwhelming majority of Ukrainians (74%) responded that Ukraine should have a powerful parliament, which should at least consent to the president appointing the government and be able to fire it.

Almost half (49%) of respondents say that the economic situation has deteriorated over the past five years, with about a third pointing to government incompetence as the cause.

The survey was conducted on May 16-22 by calling random cell phone numbers. The poll covered 1,002 respondents who live in the Kiev-controlled territory of Ukraine. The sampling error does not exceed 1.5-3.5%.

Zelensky's presidency

During Zelensky's presidency, his opponents have repeatedly accused him of attacking democratic freedoms and persecuting the opposition. During this period, a number of TV channels were taken off the air, 12 political parties were banned, and persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church intensified. According to lawyer Kamil Kirpichev, a total of about 17,000 criminal cases are under investigation for trumped-up charges against opponents of the authorities in Ukraine.

Zelensky's recent accusations of usurping power have been compounded by concerns about his legitimacy. On May 21, his five-year term as president expired in accordance with the country's constitution. Ukrainian authorities have refused to hold elections, citing martial law. Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the issue of Zelensky's legitimacy after May 20 should be resolved by Ukraine's political and legal systems. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview with TASS that Zelensky was violating the laws of his own country in an attempt to hold on to power after his term expired.