An independent poll of 820 Kyrgyz finds that in the second week of post-Bakiyev Kyrgyzstan, most Kyrgyz are ready to abolish the office president.
Only 7.9 percent see having a presidential system of governance as appropriate to Kyrgyzstan. A relatively large number, 26.5 percent, do not like any existing political parties, suggesting the upcoming campaign season – parliamentary elections are tentatively scheduled for October 10 – will see an explosion in new parties.
The poll, released yesterday by Market Intelligence, a new Bishkek firm, finds that 51.8 percent of Kyrgyz feel the new government will be better than the old one.
Interim government head Roza Otunbayeva enjoys the highest popularity rating of a Kyrgyz leader at 57.6 percent, but asked to name a single leader for whom they hold positive feelings, over 13 percent choose interim government deputy for economic affairs, former Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev. Otunbayeva, a former foreign minister, follows closely with 12.3 percent.
Former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, now in exile in Belarus, receives a 68.3 percent negative rating.
Respondents are split on the reasons for their dissatisfaction with Bakiyev. Over 34 percent blame his “family and clan politics,” while 17 percent say they are dissatisfied with his lies and ignorance of public concerns. 8.2 percent blame corruption under his rule and 8.8 percent his increase in energy tariffs at the beginning of the year.
Over 63 percent of respondents describe the April 7 uprising as a "people's revolution"; 14.6 percent call it an "illegal coup d'etat."
The poll was released on the KelKel email list-serve.
It is unclear how Market Intelligence selected respondents. Several other polls (here and here) are attempting to gauge public opinion with Internet surveys, a method that will likely reach only young, educated, Russian-speaking city dwellers.
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