Swings in Perception of Russian Political Leaders after Presidential Elections of 2012

This paper contains the results of a pilot study of presidential candidates' perception after 2012 campaign. Their images went through transformation in half a year that passed after elections. Thus electoral campaign permitted to clarify political views of the Presidential candidates/ All of them except G.Zjuganov managed to improve their perception. The winner of the race V.V. Putin reached his historical maximum of this parameter in November 2012. One should mention that on a rational level of Putin's perception dynamics in comparison with a pre-electoral period of all three components of his image, i.e. strength, attractiveness and activeity is positive. At the same time a number of negative elements that were absent before, appeared in his image. The swings in unconscious level of Putin's perception are also rather salient. After election his leader's status became more visible. The feature of aggressiveness the are perceived quite positively by our citizens became also very important. Thus electoral victory on one hand strengthen Putin's formal status, clarified his views to public, made his image more attractive as a politician but on the other hand for the first time it for the first time produced doubts in solidness of his positions. It is not probable that in nearest future his tendencies in his perception can shake his power, but it is evident that such state of the society will necessitate him and his team a lot of attempts to fulfill his electoral promises and react on the peoples' demand for more just and integral politics.

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