Harris Interactive | News Room - New Financial Times/Harris Poll Shows Majorities in Five Western European Countries Do Not Consider Russia a Democracy

New Financial Times/Harris Poll Shows Majorities in Five Western European Countries Do Not Consider Russia a Democracy

Most Europeans not sure, or do not think that, Vladmir Putin can be trusted

Many worry that Europe is too heavily dependent on Russia for energy

Europeans view modern-day Russia as more of a partner than threat

Europeans agree more energy supply diversification needed

Substantial numbers in each country support Russia’s continued membership in G8

General support for Russia’s and Ukraine’s admission into the European Union

ROCHESTER, N.Y. and LONDON – 15 July 2006 – A new poll of adults in five European countries, reported in today’s Financial Times, shows that majorities across those countries do not consider Russia a democracy. The poll indicates, as well, that majorities in these countries are either unsure or do not think that the European Union can trust Russia’s leader Vladmir Putin.

Results also show that adults in Italy are more likely than those in France, Germany, Great Britain or Spain to view modern-day Russia as a democracy, to support Russia’s continued membership in the G8 and its admission to the EU. In contrast, Italian respondents are most worried that Western Europe is heavily depending on Russia for energy supplies and they feel most strongly that Russian countries should not be allowed to buy energy companies and other leading businesses in the EU.

These are some of the results of a Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted online by Harris Interactive^® between July 6 and 12, 2006 among 2,623 adults, ages 16 years and over from France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain.

Most countries seem to worry that Western Europe is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy supplies. France is the only country where fewer than half of adults express this concern. Additionally, majorities across all European countries surveyed agree that the EU should do more to encourage the diversification of energy supplies.

Respondents in France and Germany are significantly more likely to oppose both Russia’s and the Ukraine’s admission into the European Union. In contrast, respondents in Italy and Spain are significantly more likely to support their admission into the EU.

Adults in Spain and Germany are more likely to oppose Russia’s continued membership in the G8 than those among the other European countries surveyed. In contrast, three-quarters (77%) in Italy support Russia’s continued membership in the G8. Italian’s, generally, are much more likely to have an opinion about this matter (only 15% responded "not sure", versus 33% or higher among those in other countries).

Some other findings of the poll reveal:

Majorities in each of the five countries consider Gorbachev the best leader of the Soviet Union/Russia within the past 20 years, when asked to select among Gorbachev, Putin and Yeltsin. But one in five (20%) in Italy consider Putin the best leader of the Soviet Union/Russia, which is the highest percentage of all European countries surveyed.
In the five European countries surveyed overall 30 percent of adults say that the U.S. is the greatest threat to global stability, followed by North Korea (20%) and Iran (17%). Adults in Spain are most likely to view the U.S. as the greatest threat.

TABLE 1

RUSSIA A DEMOCRACY

"Would you describe Russia as a democracy?"

Base: All European adults

	Total	Country
	Total	Great Britain	France	Italy	Spain	Germany
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Yes	16	12	13	24	16	15
No	59	52	62	57	63	61
Not sure	25	36	24	19	21	25