They want to live in the old way

Almost two -thirds of the Russians would like that in a year Vladimir Putin would be elected to the president for another period. This is evidenced by the survey conducted by the Levada Center on March 31 - April 3, Interfax reports .

For the new presidential term, Putin spoke 64 percent of the respondents. 22 percent want another person to replace him in the president’s post a year. Another 14 percent of respondents found it difficult to answer.

Meanwhile, 48 percent of the survey conducted by the Levada Center on April 21-24 announced their readiness to vote for Putin. At the same time, 58 percent of the respondents decided on their choice. 13 percent stated that they would definitely not vote, 10 have not yet decided whether they would go to the polls. Another 19 percent "do not know who exactly they would vote for."

“In these matters, people are usually determined two weeks before voting, but for now the campaign began only for the presidential administration and parties,” said Lev Gudkov, director of the Levada Center.

Among those who declared confidence in their choice, the share of Putin's support was 83 percent. For the head of the LDPR, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, 5 percent of the determined, for the leader of the Communists of Gennady Zyuganov - 4, for the Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu and for the leader of the Party of Progress Alexei Navalny - 2 to the Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the leader of "Fair Russia" by Sergey Mironov according to one percentage.

Levada Center conducts surveys on a sample of 1,600 people at the age of 18 years and older in 137 settlements of 48 regions. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4 percent.

Putin himself has so far evaded a direct answer to the question about his participation in the 2018 elections. In early September 2016, he stated that talking about his participation in the elections about this is "absolutely premature" and "simply harmful." On December 5, at a meeting with the employees of the Chelyabinsk company, Eterno, he said that he wants to "successfully complete his career."

In January, Presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said he was hoping for Putin’s participation in the 2018 elections. “Even during our first interview in 2004, I told you that as a citizen of the Russian Federation, I hope that he would decide to go to a new term,” Peskov said, answering the question of the BBC journalist, whether Putin will re-elect. At the same time, the official noted that the presence of a serious opposition, which could compete with the current government, would benefit Russia.

On February 21, RBC sources reported that Putin would take part in the 2018 presidential election. “Everyone proceeds from the fact that the boss will go to the elections. And everyone understands that this will be his term. There will be nothing to change under himself in order to stay after 2024, when the next term expires, he will not be,” the source said. According to the interlocutors of the publication, the presidential elections are discussed at meetings with experts with the deputy head of the presidential administration Sergei Kiriyenko.

Commenting on this message, Peskov again emphasized that the decision to participate Putin in the elections has not yet been made. "President Putin himself repeatedly said that he considers it premature to make any electoral statements, he has not yet made any statements," Peskov emphasized. He added that before the start of the electoral campaign, there is still enough time, so "while the agenda is different."