More than three quarters of Romanians (78%) believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to an Avangarde poll conducted between October 21 and 26, Agerpres reports.
The survey found that only 16% of respondents believe Romania is moving in the right direction, while 6% either did not answer or were undecided.
If parliamentary elections were held next Sunday, 35% of respondents said they would vote for AUR, 26% for the PSD, 15% for the PNL, 10% for the USR, 5% for the UDMR, 4% for SENS, 2% for S.O.S. Romania and 3% for another party. Among the adult population as a whole, 16% are undecided, 17% say they would not vote and 2% did not answer.
Respondents were also asked whether the PNL's decision to vote in Parliament for the investiture of the Niculescu Government, which includes PSD ministers, while announcing it would remain in opposition, was the right one. Half of those surveyed (50%) said the decision was rather wrong, 29% said it was rather right, while 21% were undecided or did not answer.
Nearly one-third of respondents (30%) said the Niculescu Government's top priority should be increasing wages and pensions, while 21% cited fighting corruption, 19% reducing the budget deficit and public debt, 15% cutting government spending (public-sector staffing and institutions), 7% investing in infrastructure (motorways, hospitals and schools) and 4% increasing healthcare funding. Another 4% were undecided or did not answer.
Regarding deficit reduction, 59% of Romanians believe the government should primarily cut public spending, while 20% support higher taxes on wealth and companies. Another 4% think the government should borrow more without taking additional measures, 3% believe the deficit should not be reduced at this time, 2% support higher taxes and duties, and 1% favour freezing wages and pensions. Eleven per cent were undecided or did not answer.
According to Avangarde, the survey was conducted using the CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing) method on a representative sample of 1,000 Romanian residents aged 18 and over. The margin of error is ą3.1% at a 95% confidence level. Results were weighted by gender, age, place of residence and education level.
