9% of respondents say they approve of Alexei Navalny, this figure has halved in two years. Young people, Internet users and oppositional citizens have a better attitude towards the politician. The respondents are well aware that Navalny was sent to prison two years ago. More than half consider the court’s decision fair and believe that Navalny should be punished. A fifth of them hold the opposite opinion and think that in this way the government is settling scores with a political opponent.
Compared to February 2022, the level of approval of Alexei Navalny’s activities has decreased: 9% approve (14% in February 2022), 57% disapprove (60% in February 2022). In addition, the proportion of respondents who do not know A. Navalny has increased. In the beginning of last year 14% knew him, this year 23% did.
The greatest support for Navalny’s activities is expressed by representatives of the 18-24 age group (14%), respondents who disapprove of the president’s activities (30%), and respondents who trust information from online publications, social networks and Telegram channels (about 17%).
The lowest level of support for Navalny is noted among representatives of the 55-year-old and older group (7%), those who disapprove of the president’s work (5%), and respondents who trust TV as a source of information (4%).
To date, 89% of respondents know that two years ago the court sent Alexei Navalny to prison: 22% closely followed how the events were developing, 67% had heard something about it. In February 2022, 81% of respondents knew about Navalny’s imprisonment in prison.
59% of respondents say that this court decision is rather fair, 21% – rather unfair. In February 2022, a year after the confinement of A. Navalny, 44% of respondents considered the decision to be fair, rather unfair – 27%.
Among all respondents, 22% believe that criminal prosecution against A. Navalny was launched because “the government is settling scores with its political opponent,” 61% – because “Navalny violated the law and must be held accountable.”
The first opinion prevails among respondents aged 18-24 (38%), those who disapprove of the president’s activities (62%), and respondents who trust social networks as sources of information (40%). The opinion that A. Navalny should be punished for violating the law more noticeably among respondents 55 years and older (70%), those who approve of the president’s activities (70%), and respondents who trust television as a news source (78%).
METHODOLOGY
The survey by the Levada Center was conducted January 26 – 31 2023, among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1616 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The distribution of responses is given as a percentage of the total number of respondents.
The statistical error of these studies for a sample of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%
The ANO Levada Center is included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents.