Poll: PSUV Still Largest Party in Venezuela

by Lucas Koerner

Venezuelanalysis.com | 03 January, 2017

(Prensa PSUV)

Venezuela’s ruling United Socialist Party (PSUV) remains the largest party in the South American country, reports a new poll.

According to the independent polling firm Hinterlaces, 27 percent of Venezuelans identify as supporters of the PSUV. Meanwhile, 12 percent of the voting public supports the opposition Popular Will party, 8.6 percent for the right-wing opposition MUD coalition in general, 7.2% for First Justice, 6 percent for Democratic Action, 1.8 percent for A New Era, and just 1 percent for the Christian Democrat party COPEI.

While support for the PSUV has fallen from over 40 percent under late President Hugo Chávez, the party’s backing remains relatively strong in spite of a deep economic crisis that has devastated the country over the last two years due to the collapse of global oil prices.

Nonetheless, the poll also reveals that the proportion of independents has dramatically grown in recent months, with 51 percent of the electorate no longer identifying with either the Chavista bloc led by the PSUV nor with the right-wing opposition.

More specifically, 33.9 percent of Venezuelans say that they do not support any of the existing political parties.

The declining support for the Maduro administration in recent years has not, however, translated into rising fortunes for the Venezuelan opposition, which has proved thus far incapable of channeling popular discontent against the government.

In November, a previous survey found that over 60 percent of the population view the opposition as “very divided” and lacking a program for the country.

The new poll was reported by the Maracaibo-based Venezuelan newspaper Panorama.

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