Majority of Russians for President’s age limit

Moscow – After more than 20 years in power, Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin also has to worry about his age, according to a survey. The majority of respondents, therefore, support an age restriction for the president.

Putin is 67 years old – 35 percent of Russians believe that a retirement age of 65 should be over, according to a representative study by the Moscow polling institute Levada. Another 27 percent are for a maximum age of 70, as is the case for state employees in Russia.

26 percent of those questioned said that – as before – there should be no age restriction. In the Levada survey, the majority of respondents also expressed the opinion that changes in power and new politicians are important for a political system. On the other hand, 37 percent spoke in favor of the “stability” praised by Putin.

The results showed that dissatisfaction with the power apparatus in Russia and with the economic situation is growing, said Levada director Lew Gudkow. According to Gudkow, the majority wanted Putin not to run again in 2024.

According to a constitutional amendment, the Kremlin chief can still stand in 2024 and 2030. A successor is not in sight. The controversial opposition has also so far failed to position a competitor for Putin.

Opposition leader Alexei Navalny is currently criticizing Putin’s handling of the corona crisis. The president hardly appears in public as a crisis manager and leaves it up to others to act. Putin had also been the main instrument in the fight against the epidemic, only ordering nationwide for this week.