The current political crisis in Ukraine is much talked about in the Russian media but has not, as of yet, provoked much interest among Russians. Several days after President Yushchenko's decree to dissolve parliament, two-thirds of the respondents could say on whose side they are in the conflict. Others (30% of all respondents) voiced support for the members of the Supreme Rada renouncing Yushchenko's decision, and only 5% placed their sympathies with the president. Note that people's support for the «orange side» and their opponents are distributed approximately in the same proportions as before.

Not many respondents (29%) managed to answer the open-ended question about the reasons behind the dissolution. About a third of the answers did not say anything about a political crisis. Some (5%) said it is due to the race for power in Ukraine, another 3% talked about the crisis among the authorities, feuding and political instablity in the country. The same percentage mentioned disputes between the president and the parliament and a lack of understanding between the two: «the Supreme Rada doesn't support Yushchenko's policy,» «there's a conflict between the president and the Rada.»

About a third of those who answered tried to explain the motives behind Yushchenko's decision. Some (3%) speak about Yushchenko's desire to reinforce his authority and strengthen his position: «monocracy is what he's after,» «Yushchenko wants unlimited power.» Others (3%) believe that the president's position is getting weaker and the dissolution of parliament represents his attempts to hold onto his power, which is slipping away and characterized Yushchenko as a weak president losing grip on the situation (2%).

Some respondents believe that Yushchenko is not acting of his own accord. Some said his decision was encouraged by the USA, or the West in general (2%), others ascribed the key role to Yulia Timoshenko (2%), and still others said that he has been «pressured» or «forced to do it» without guessing exactly who pressured the president. Some linked the present crisis with controversies about Ukraine's plans to join NATO (1%) or simply assumed that the president was dissatisfied with the parliament's performance. Note that not a single respondent mentioned changes in the alignment of forces in the parliament as the reason behind the dissolution.

Grigory Kertman

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko made a decision this Monday to dissolve the Supreme Rada, the country's parliament. Most of the Supreme Rada members disagreed with Mr. Yushchenko's decision. Are your sympathies with Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko, who decreed to dissolve the Supreme Rada, or with the State Rada members who refuse to recognize Mr. Yushchenko's decision?

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko made a decision this Monday to dissolve the Supreme Rada, the country's parliament. Most of the Supreme Rada members disagreed with Mr. Yushchenko's decision. Are your sympathies with Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko, who decreed to dissolve the Supreme Rada, or with the State Rada members who refuse to recognize Mr. Yushchenko's decision?

Äîëè ãðóïï	100	59	28	9	47	53	36	38	26	14	35	34	17	21	32	25	8	13	18	36	25
Viktor Yushchenko	5	6	3	6	5	6	7	4	5	4	4	6	9	5	6	6	6	3	8	4	6
the Supreme Rada members	30	31	31	23	33	27	25	30	36	23	26	30	42	20	33	35	32	43	32	31	20
difficult to answer	65	62	66	71	62	67	68	66	59	73	70	64	49	76	61	59	62	54	60	65	74

POF database > International > Countries > Ukraine > Another Crisis for Ukraine: the Dissolution of the Supreme Rada