Public trust in President Vladimir Putin has nearly halved in two years, according to the independent Levada Center’s survey published Wednesday.
Only 35% of Russian respondents said they trust Putin in January 2020, Levada said. Putin’s trust rating stood at 59% in November 2017.
“The decline began long ago,” Levada chief Lev Gudkov told the Vedomosti business daily.
“It’s slow and gradual, and it’s more indicative than the swings in the approval rating. There’s growing dissatisfaction with the economy and the inability to earn money,” Gudkov said.
Putin’s approval rating, however, has held steady at nearly 70% for the past six months in what Gudkov linked to respondents’ views toward his foreign policy.
“These are [related to the] different roles of the president: the foreign arena and inside the country,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, a Gallup International poll cited by the RBC news website showed Putin behind U.S. President Donald Trump as the world’s most famous politician in 2019.
Levada conducted its poll among 1,603 respondents in 50 Russian regions between Jan. 23-29. Respondents were asked to name the politicians they trust and distrust the most.