If Armenian presidential elections were held next Sunday 43 percent of voters would cast their ballots in favor of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyanan. It is reported by a latest public opinion poll commissioned by the Gallup Organization. Compared with the previous poll, conducted last December, Sargsyan has won over an extra 8 percent of popular support. A former parliament chairman Artur Baghdasaryan, nominated by his opposition Legal State party, would come second with 11 percent of votes and Artashes Geghamyan, head of the National Unity, would come third garnering 6 percent of all votes. At present it is not yet known what ratings Vahan Hovhannisyan, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Tigran Karapetyan, Aram Harutyunyan and Arman Melikyan have. The poll also asked randomly selected respondents to say what they think about the country’s development. Forty-nine percent are sure that the country is on the right track, but a sizeable 44 percent said it was on the wrong one. By the way the number of people, who think that the country is on the wrong track decreased compared to 2006. Forty-five percent think the country’s economy is developing while 17 percent do not think so. The number of people, who are optimistic about the future also increased. In general the public is in the optimistic mood. The Gallup poll has found also some 80 percent of eligible voters are expected to go to polling stations to elect their new president.
