Sobchak overtook Medvedev in Levada Center's distrust rating

Ksenia Sobchak, who announced her candidacy for the 2018 Russian presidential election last week, took first place in the Levada Center's rating of distrust of politicians in October, overtaking Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. This was reported on the website of the analytical center.

Sociologists conducted a survey on October 20-24 among 1,600 people aged 18 and over in 137 settlements in 48 regions of the country.

According to the poll, Sobchak as a politician and public figure is not trusted by 16% of respondents, Medvedev - 13%, Navalny and Zhirinovsky - 12% each.

In August, Medvedev was in first place in a similar rating, receiving 15%, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky was in second with 11%, opposition politician Alexei Navalny was third (9%). Sobchak, having received 8%, then became the fourth.

At the same time, in another poll, where the survey participants were asked to evaluate Medvedev's activities as prime minister, 53% of respondents said they did not trust the head of government.

In the trust rating, which was carried out by the Levada Center according to the same rules, President Vladimir Putin took the first place with a score of 60%. This is his highest result since March last year. When asked whether citizens approve of Putin's activities as president, 82% answered positively.

The second place among politicians and public figures, whose activities are approved by the Russians, was taken by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu with 30%. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was third (27%). Zhirinovsky and Medvedev received 11% each.

57% of respondents are confident that in Russia "things are going in the right direction." The opposite point of view is shared by 27%.

More than half of those polled by the Levada Center do not trust the government (51%; in September 52% said they trust the Cabinet of Ministers) and the State Duma (57%), but at the same time they positively assess the activities of the head of the region (53%).