Editing Vladimir Putin (section)

=== Polls and rankings ===
[[File:Vladimir Putin in Tuva 2007-54.jpg|thumb|Putin with local people in the Siberian republic of [[Tuva]] in 2007]]
In a June 2007 public opinion survey, Putin's approval rating was 81%, the second-highest of any leader in the world that year.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Madslien |first = Jorn |url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6265068.stm |title = Russia's economic might: spooky or soothing? |work =[[BBC News]] |date = 4 July 2007 |access-date = 2 March 2010 }}</ref> In January 2013, at the time of the [[2011–2013 Russian protests]], Putin's rating fell to 62%, the lowest since 2000.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|last = Arkhipov |first = Ilya |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-24/putin-approval-rating-falls-to-lowest-since-2000-poll.html |title = Putin Approval Rating Falls to Lowest Since 2000: Poll |publisher = Bloomberg L.P. |date = 24 January 2013 |access-date = 22 June 2013 }}</ref> In a context of increased diplomatic isolation and international sanctions on Russian officials prompted by the [[Russo-Ukrainian war]], Putin's approval rating reached 87% in August 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 6 August 2014 |title = Putin's Approval Rating Soars to 87%, Poll Says |work = [[Moscow Times]] |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/archive/putins-approval-rating-soars-to-87-poll-says |access-date = 6 July 2021 }}</ref> In February 2015, based on domestic polling, Putin was ranked the world's most popular politician.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = The world's most popular politicians: Putin's approval rating hits 86% |url = https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/chart-putins-popularity-reaches-86-but-how-does-it-compare-to-other-world-leaders-10075063.html |agency = Independent |date = 27 February 2015 }}</ref> In June 2015, Putin's approval rating climbed to 89%, an all-time high.<ref name="guardian">{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Vladimir Putin's approval rating at record levels |url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/datablog/2015/jul/23/vladimir-putins-approval-rating-at-record-levels |work =[[The Guardian]] |date = 23 July 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|script-title = ru:Июльские рейтинги одобрения и доверия |url = http://www.levada.ru/old/23-07-2015/iyulskie-reitingi-odobreniya-i-doveriya |agency = Levada Centre |date = 23 July 2015 |language = ru |access-date = 29 March 2016 |archive-date = 29 January 2017 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170129233623/http://www.levada.ru/old/23-07-2015/iyulskie-reitingi-odobreniya-i-doveriya |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Putin's approval ratings hit 89 percent, the highest they've ever been |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/06/24/putins-approval-ratings-hit-89-percent-the-highest-theyve-ever-been/ |newspaper = The Washington Post |date = 24 June 2015 }}</ref> Observers saw Putin's high approval ratings in 2010s as a consequence of improvements in living standards, and Russia's reassertion on the world scene during his presidency.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.oprosy.info/news.php?extend.25 |title = Quarter of Russians Think Living Standards Improved During Putin's Rule |language = ru |publisher = Oprosy.info |access-date = 22 June 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130731141629/http://www.oprosy.info/news.php?extend.25 |archive-date = 31 July 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stone |first=Norman |date=25 May 2010 |title=No wonder they like Putin |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100525073652/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article2994651.ece |access-date=15 May 2025 |website=The Times}}</ref> Putin was also highly popular in some [[Global South|non-Western]] countries, such as [[Vietnam]], where his approval rating was 89% in 2017.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title=Anti-Western and hyper macho, Putin's appeal in Southeast Asia |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/18/anti-western-and-hyper-macho-putins-appeal-in-southeast-asia |work=Al Jazeera |date=18 November 2022}}</ref>

Despite high approval for Putin, public confidence in the Russian economy was low, dropping to levels in 2016 that rivaled the lows in 2009 at the height of the global economic crisis.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.gallup.com/poll/207491/economic-problems-corruption-fail-dent-putin-image.aspx |title = Economic Problems, Corruption Fail to Dent Putin's Image. |website = gallup.com |date = 28 March 2017 |access-date = 7 June 2017 }}</ref> Putin's performance in reining in corruption is unpopular among Russians. ''[[Newsweek]]'' reported in 2017 that a poll "indicated that 67% held Putin personally responsible for high-level corruption".<ref name="Newsweek">{{#invoke:cite|web|url = http://www.newsweek.com/2017/04/28/alexei-navalny-russia-vladimir-putin-donald-trump-corruption-protests-moscow-585004.html |title = Alexei Navalny: Is Russia's Anti-Corruption Crusader Vladimir Putin's Kryptonite?|last=Bennetts|first=Marc|website = Newsweek |date = 17 April 2017 |access-date = 7 June 2017 }}</ref> Corruption [[Corruption in Russia|is a significant problem in Russia]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = New Reports Highlight Russia's Deep-Seated Culture of Corruption |url = https://www.voanews.com/europe/new-reports-highlight-russias-deep-seated-culture-corruption |publisher = [[Voice of America]] |date = 26 January 2020 |access-date = 16 March 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.transparency.org/en/news/countering-russian-kleptocrats-wests-response-to-assault-on-ukraine |title = Countering Russian kleptocrats: What the West's Response to Assault on Ukraine Should Look Like |website = Transparency International |date = 4 March 2022 |quote = Corruption is endemic in Russia. With a score of just 29 out of 100, Russia is the lowest-ranking country in Europe on Transparency International's 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. }}</ref>

[[File:Vladimir Putin approval (Levada, 2020).png|alt=Vladimir Putin approval 1999–2020 (Levada, 2020)|thumb|Vladimir Putin's public approval 1999–2020 (Levada, 2020)<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Одобрение органов власти |url = https://www.levada.ru/indikatory/odobrenie-organov-vlasti/ |language = ru-RU |access-date = 25 May 2020 }}</ref>]]

In October 2018, two-thirds of Russians surveyed agreed that "Putin bears full responsibility for the problems of the country", which has been attributed<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = "Левада-Центр": две трети россиян считают, что в проблемах страны виноват Путин |url = https://www.znak.com/2018-11-22/levada_centr_dve_treti_rossiyan_schitayut_chto_v_problemah_strany_vinovat_putin |access-date = 22 November 2018 |website = [[Znak.com]] |archive-date = 18 January 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220118045149/https://www.znak.com/2018-11-22/levada_centr_dve_treti_rossiyan_schitayut_chto_v_problemah_strany_vinovat_putin |url-status = dead }}</ref> to a decline in a popular belief in "[[Good Tsar, bad Boyars|good tsar and bad boyars]]", a traditional attitude towards justifying failures at the top of the ruling hierarchy in Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/54fdafd74.html|title=Refworld {{!}} 'Good Tsar, Bad Boyars': Popular Attitudes and Azerbaijan's Future|work=Refworld|publisher=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|access-date=22 November 2018}}</ref> In January 2019, the percentage of Russians trusting Putin hit a then-historic low—33%.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 18 January 2019 |title = Рейтинг доверия Путину достиг исторического минимума. Он упал вдвое с 2015 года |url = https://tvrain.ru/news/rejting_doverija_putinu_dostig_istoricheskogo_minimuma_on_upal_vdvoe_s_2015_goda-478970/ |access-date = 19 January 2019 |work = [[TV Rain]] }}</ref> In April 2019 [[Gallup (company)|Gallup]] poll showed a record number of Russians, 20%, willing to permanently emigrate from Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://news.gallup.com/poll/248249/record-russians-say-leave-russia.aspx |title = Record 20% of Russians Say They Would Like to Leave Russia |website = Gallup.com |date = 4 April 2019 |access-date = 23 April 2019 }}</ref> The decline was even larger in the 17–25 age group, "who find themselves largely disconnected from the country's aging leadership, nostalgic Soviet rhetoric and nepotistic agenda". Putin's approval rating among young Russians was 32% in January 2019. The percentage willing to emigrate permanently in this group was 41%. 60% had favorable views of the US (three times more than in the 55+ age group).<ref>{{cite news|last=Milov|first=Vladimir|last2=Khvostunova|first2=Olga|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/06/17/how-putin-kremlin-lost-russian-youths/ |title = How Putin and the Kremlin lost Russian youths |work = The Washington Post|date=17 June 2019}}</ref> Decline in support for the president and government is visible in other polls, such as a rapidly growing readiness to protest against poor living conditions.

In May 2020, amid the COVID crisis, Putin's approval rating was 68%, when respondents were presented a list of names (closed question),<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Доверие политикам (1) |url = https://wciom.ru/news/ratings/doverie_politikam_1/ |website = wciom.ru |access-date = 25 May 2020 }}</ref> and 27% when respondents were expected to name politicians they trust (open question).<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Доверие политикам (2) |url = https://wciom.ru/news/ratings/doverie_politikam/ |website = wciom.ru |access-date = 25 May 2020 }}</ref> This has been attributed to continued post-Crimea economic stagnation but also an apathetic response to the pandemic crisis in Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|last = Kolesnikov |first = Andrei |date = 15 June 2020 |title = Why Putin's Rating Is at a Record Low |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/06/15/why-putins-rating-is-at-a-record-low-a70572 |access-date = 16 June 2020 |website = Moscow Times }}</ref> Polls conducted in November 2021 after the failure of a [[COVID-19 pandemic in Russia|Russian COVID-19 vaccination campaign]] indicated distrust of Putin was a major contributing factor for [[vaccine hesitancy]], with regional polls indicating numbers as low as 20–30% in the Volga Federal District.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Trust fall The Kremlin plans to reboot Russia's mass vaccination campaign, but there are worries this will bring down Putin's ratings |url = https://meduza.io/en/feature/2021/11/16/trust-fall |access-date = 16 November 2021 |website = Meduza }}</ref>

In May 2021, 33% indicated Putin in response to "who would you vote for this weekend?" among Moscow respondents and 40% outside Moscow.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Москвичи рассказали, кого видят президентом. На первом месте Путин, потом Навальный |url = https://www.znak.com/2021-05-18/moskvichi_rasskazali_kogo_vidyat_prezidentom_na_pervom_meste_putin_potom_navalnyy |access-date = 18 May 2021 |website = [[Znak.com]] |archive-date = 27 October 2021 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211027072330/https://www.znak.com/2021-05-18/moskvichi_rasskazali_kogo_vidyat_prezidentom_na_pervom_meste_putin_potom_navalnyy |url-status = dead }}</ref> A survey released in October 2021 found 53% of respondents saying they trusted Putin.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = What Vladimir Putin Is Up To in Ukraine |url = https://time.com/6122671/vladimir-putin-ukraine/ |magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date = 22 November 2021 }}</ref>

Observers see a [[generational struggle]] among Russians over perception of Putin's rule, with younger Russians more probably to be against Putin and older Russians more likely to accept the narrative presented by state-controlled [[mass media in Russia|media in Russia]].<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = How do young Ukrainians and Russians feel about another war? |url = https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/2/7/not-worth-fighting-for-young-ukrainians-and-russians-shun-war |publisher = Al Jazeera |date = 7 February 2022 }}</ref> Putin's support among Russians aged 18–24 was only 20% in December 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Vladimir Putin's popularity with young Russians plummeting, opinion poll finds |url = https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/vladimir-putins-popularity-with-young-russians-plummeting-opinion-poll-finds-678xx6gd5 |work = [[The Times]] |date = 11 December 2020 }}</ref>
[[File:Anti-Corruption Rally in Saint Petersburg (2017-03-26) 12.jpg|thumb|The [[Levada Center]] survey showed that 58% of surveyed Russians supported the [[2017 Russian protests]] against high-level corruption.<ref>"[http://www.levada.ru/2017/06/13/aktsii-protesta-12-iyunya/ Акции протеста 12 июня]" (in Russian). [[Levada Centre]]. 13 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2020.</ref>]]

Following the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in 2022, state-controlled TV, where most Russians get their news, presented the invasion as a "special military operation" and liberation mission, in line with the government's narrative.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = 'Pure Orwell': how Russian state media spins invasion as liberation|last=Sauer|first=Pjotr|url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/25/pure-orwell-how-russian-state-media-spins-ukraine-invasion-as-liberation |work = [[The Guardian]] |date = 25 February 2022 }}</ref><ref name="masha-gessen-invasion">{{cite magazine |last=Gessen |title=The War That Russians Do Not See |first=Masha |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/03/14/the-war-that-russians-do-not-see |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |date=4 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Ukrainians Find That Relatives in Russia Don't Believe It's a War |first = Valerie |last = Hopkins |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/06/world/europe/ukraine-russia-families.html |work = The New York Times |date = 6 March 2022 }}</ref> The Russian censorship apparatus ''[[Roskomnadzor]]'' ordered the country's media to employ information only from state sources or face fines and blocks.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 24 February 2022 |url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/24/use-only-official-sources-about-ukraine-war-russian-media-watchdog-tells-journalists-a76567 |title = Use Only Official Sources About Ukraine War, Russian Media Watchdog Tells Journalists |website = [[Moscow Times]] |access-date = 24 February 2022 |archive-date = 24 February 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220224123216/https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/02/24/use-only-official-sources-about-ukraine-war-russian-media-watchdog-tells-journalists-a76567 |url-status = live }}</ref> The Russian media was banned from using the words "war", "invasion" or "aggression" to describe the invasion,<ref name="masha-gessen-invasion"/> with media outlets being blocked as a result.<ref name="nyt-approval-march-2022">{{#invoke:cite|news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/world/europe/putin-approval-rating-russia.html |title = Faced with foreign pressure, Russians rally around Putin, poll shows. |website = The New York Times |date = 31 March 2022 }}</ref>

In late February 2022, a survey conducted by the independent research group Russian Field found that 59% of respondents supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine.<ref name="opendemocracy">{{#invoke:cite|news|title = In Russia, opinion polls are a political weapon |url = https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/russia-opinion-polls-war-ukraine/ |work = [[openDemocracy]] |date = 9 March 2022 }}</ref> According to the poll, in the group of 18-to-24-year-olds, only 29% supported the "special military operation".<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Misinformation colors how Russians are seeing the Ukrainian war |url = https://thehill.com/policy/international/597863-misinformation-colors-how-russians-are-seeing-the-ukrainian-war |work = [[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date = 11 March 2022 }}</ref> In late February and mid-March 2022 two polls surveyed Russians' sentiments about the "special military operation" in Ukraine. The results were obtained by [[Radio Liberty]].<ref name="lib">{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.svoboda.org/a/nezavisimye-sotsiologi-71-rossiyan-ispytyvaet-gordostj-iz-za-voyny-s-ukrainoy/31757535.html |title = Независимые социологи: 71% россиян испытывает гордость из-за войны с Украиной |work = Радио Свобода |date = 17 March 2022 |publisher = [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] }}</ref> 71% of Russians polled said that they supported the "special military operation" in Ukraine.<ref name="Belsat TV-2022">{{#invoke:cite|web|date = 18 March 2022 |title = Independent sociologists: The vast majority of Russians feel proud of the war with Ukraine |url = https://belsat.eu/en/news/18-03-2022-majority-of-russians-proud-of-war-with-ukraine-experts-say/ |publisher = [[Belsat TV]] |language = en }}</ref><ref name="lib"/>
[[File:Putin spoke at the International Parliamentary Conference Russia – Africa in a Multipolar World, 20 March 2023.jpg|thumb|Putin speaking at the "Russia-Africa" parliamentary conference in Moscow on 20 March 2023. According to the [[Economist Intelligence Unit]], two-thirds of the [[world population|world's population]] live in countries that are neutral or leaning towards Russia.<ref name="Time-Stengel"/>]]
When asked how they were affected by the actions of Putin, a third said they strongly believed Putin was working in their interests. Another 26% said he was working in their interests to some extent. In general, most Russians believe that it would be better if Putin remained president for as long as possible.<ref name="Belsat TV-2022" /><ref name="lib"/> Similarly, a survey conducted in early March found 58% of Russian respondents approved of the operation.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|date = 8 March 2022 |title = 58 percent of Russians support the invasion of Ukraine, and 23 percent oppose it, new poll shows |newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/08/russia-public-opinion-ukraine-invasion/ |url-status = live |archive-url = https://archive.today/20220314102356/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/03/08/russia-public-opinion-ukraine-invasion/ |archive-date = 14 March 2022 |access-date = 16 June 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Putin rebuilds the Iron Curtain |url = https://www.axios.com/russia-ukraine-iron-curtain-4e03e4dd-cdaf-4029-97a7-e15a8cd2f4d1.html |work = [[Axios (website)|Axios]] |date = 11 March 2022 }}</ref>

In March 2022, 97% of Ukrainians said they had an unfavorable view of Putin, and 98% of Ukrainians—including 82% of [[Russians in Ukraine|ethnic Russians]] living in Ukraine—said they did not believe any part of Ukraine was rightfully part of Russia.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|news|title = Ukrainians want to stay and fight, but don't see Russian people as the enemy. A remarkable poll from Kyiv |url = https://www.europeanleadershipnetwork.org/commentary/ukrainians-want-to-stay-and-fight-but-dont-see-russian-people-as-the-enemy-a-remarkable-poll-from-kyiv/ |work = [[European Leadership Network]] |date = 14 March 2022 }}</ref> A poll published on 30 March in Russia saw Putin's approval rating jump, from 71% in February, to 83%.<ref>{{cite news|title = Russians in the dark about true state of war amid country's Orwellian media coverage |url = https://edition.cnn.com/2022/04/03/media/russia-media-ukraine-cmd-intl/index.html |publisher =[[CNN]] |date = 3 April 2022|last=Dougherty|first=Jill}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.levada.ru/2022/03/30/odobrenie-institutov-rejtingi-partij-i-politikov/ |title = Одобрение Институтов, Рейтинги Партий И Политиков |website = levada.ru |date = 30 March 2022 }}</ref> However, experts warned that the figures may not accurately reflect the public mood, as the public tends to rally around leaders during war and some may be hiding their true opinions,<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/03/31/putins-approval-surges-after-launch-of-military-operation-in-ukraine-a77162 |title = Putin's Approval Surges After Launch of 'Military Operation' in Ukraine |website = Moscow Times |date = 31 March 2022 }}</ref> especially with the [[Russian 2022 war censorship laws]] prohibiting dissemination of "fake information" about the military.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|url = https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-60662712 |title = Поддерживают ли россияне войну в Украине? Смотря как спросить |website = BBC News Russian |date = 8 March 2022 }}</ref> Many respondents do not want to answer pollsters' questions for fear of negative consequences.<ref name="opendemocracy"/> When researchers commissioned a survey on Russians' attitudes to the war, 29,400 out of 31,000 refused to answer.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Yaffa |first1=Joshua |title=Why Do So Many Russians Say They Support the War in Ukraine? |url=https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/why-do-so-many-russians-say-they-support-the-war-in-ukraine |magazine=The New Yorker}}</ref> The Levada Center's director, stated that early feelings of "shock and confusion" was being replaced with the belief that Russia was being besieged and that Russians must rally around their leader.<ref name="nyt-approval-march-2022"/> The Kremlin's analysis concluded that public support for the war was broad but not deep, and that most Russians would accept anything Putin labeled a victory. In September 2023, the head of the [[Russian Public Opinion Research Center|VTsIOM]] state pollster Valery Fyodorov said in an interview that only 10–15% of Russians actively supported the war, and that "most Russians are not demanding the conquest of Kyiv or Odesa".<ref name="NYTimes-2023-12-23">{{cite news |title=Putin Quietly Signals He Is Open to a Cease-Fire in Ukraine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/23/world/europe/putin-russia-ukraine-war-cease-fire.html |work=The New York Times |date=23 December 2023}}</ref>

A poll by the independent organization [[Levada Center|Levada]], which was conducted on 22–28 June 2023, showed that 42% of respondents would vote for Putin in the [[2024 Russian presidential election|2024 presidential election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Одобрение институтов, рейтинги политиков и партий в конце июня 2023 года |url=https://www.levada.ru/2023/06/29/odobrenie-institutov-rejtingi-politikov-i-partij-v-kontse-iyunya-2023-goda/ |work=[[Levada Center]] |date=29 June 2023}}</ref> A public opinion poll by the state-owned institution [[Russian Public Opinion Research Center|VCIOM]], which was conducted in November 2023, found that 37.3% of respondents would vote for Putin.<ref>{{cite news |title=Доверие политикам |url=https://wciom.ru/ratings/doverie-politikam/ |work=[[Russian Public Opinion Research Center]]}}</ref> According to a VCIOM poll conducted in early March 2024, 56.2% of respondents would vote for Putin.<ref>{{cite news |title=Выборы Президента России — 2024: новый рейтинг |url=https://wciom.ru/analytical-reviews/analiticheskii-obzor/vybory-prezidenta-rossii-2024-novyi-reiting |work=[[Russian Public Opinion Research Center]] |date=4 March 2024}}</ref>

The director of the [[Levada Center]] stated in 2015 that drawing conclusions from Russian poll results or comparing them to polls in democratic states was irrelevant, as there is no real political competition in Russia, where, unlike in democratic states, Russian voters are not offered any credible alternatives and public opinion is primarily formed by state-controlled media, which promotes those in power and discredits alternative candidates.<ref>{{#invoke:cite|web|title = Opinion: The truth about Putin's 86-percent approval rating. How people fail to understand survey data about support for the Kremlin |url = https://meduza.io/en/feature/2015/12/10/opinion-the-truth-about-putin-s-86-percent-approval-rating |website = Meduza |access-date = 10 December 2015 |language = en-US |quote = It's wrong to compare directly the ratings of Russian and foreign politicians. In democratic countries, politics is based on competition and the constant contestation between different candidates and platforms. The Russian political system, on the other hand, is based on the absence of a credible alternative. Accordingly, public approval doesn't indicate the country's assessment of concrete political decisions, but a general acceptance of the course chosen by those in power. }}</ref>