New survey of Ukrainians: More than half say country is headed in ‘wrong direction’

The International Foundation for Electoral Systems has published a survey of 1,558 Ukrainians conducted in September 2015. The survey is titled ‘Two years after Maidan: Ukrainians [are] committed to democracy, disappointed with unmet aspirations’. The 28-page survey was funded by USAID and can be read here.

The survey does not include residents of the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk.

Here are some results from the survey:

• Fifty six per cent of those surveyed said Ukraine was headed in the "wrong direction” while only 20 per cent said it is headed in the right direction.
• The biggest issues facing Ukraine are the following. By far, the largest concern is the conflict in Donbas. That is followed by concern (by order of importance) over high prices, corruption, poverty and unemployment and "general economic problems”. Ranking low on the list are "problems with Russia” and "health care”.
• The most frequent recourse to paying a bribe is in order to receive health care.
• Only two per cent of Ukrainians believe they live in a "full democracy”. Sixty six per cent believe Ukraine is a "democracy but with major problems” or "not a democracy at all”.
• In central and western Ukraine, a majority wants the country’s primary foreign policy to be aligned with the European Union. But in the east and south, residents are divided on the subject.  In eastern Ukraine, 50 per cent of people want a foreign policy orientation that is aligned with Russia or with "both” Russia and the EU.
• On most of the important issues that the Euromaidan movement was supposed to tackle, most respondents believe there has been little progress or "none at all”.
• On confidence in political leaders, see image:

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