Public Opinion in Ukraine 2011

The survey found that public opinion in Ukraine had turned sharply negative, with 62% of respondents saying the country is on a path toward instability, a significant increase from 44% in 2010. Economic concerns continue to define Ukrainians' opinions on the most important issues facing the nation, with inflation, unemployment, and poverty being the issues mentioned most often by respondents. When asked to name the most important issues facing the country, economic issues were most often mentioned, with 74% of respondents citing inflation, 54% citing poverty, and 53% citing unemployment. Confidence in all institutions, with the exception of local institutions and the media, has fallen significantly since the 2010 survey. Confidence in most political leaders has also fallen significantly since the 2010 survey, with the exception of local mayors and heads of village councils, whose confidence has risen. The fall in confidence correlates with the increased pessimism about the direction of the country. President Yanukovych's handling of several important issues has seen a general decline in satisfaction over the past year, with a large majority of Ukrainians dissatisfied with his handling of economic issues. Nine in 10 Ukrainians or higher say that they are dissatisfied with President Yanukovych's performance in creating jobs and keeping prices low. There continues to be significant dissatisfaction with President Yanukovych in handling corruption and oligarchs, with more than three-quarters of Ukrainians dissatisfied with his handling of corruption and two-thirds dissatisfied with his actions to limit the influence of oligarchs and big business. More than nine in 10 Ukrainians believe corruption is common in Ukraine, and a majority also believes that Ukrainians accept corruption as a fact of life. Most Ukrainians have had some experience with corruption in the past year, with unofficial payments at hospitals being the most common type of corruption experienced.