Are Belarusians pro-Russian?
Most Belarusians do not have access to independent media and as a result public opinion in the country is determined by the state-run media. However, despite the pro-Russian and anti-Western rhetoric which dominates this media, only a minority (albeit a significant one) favours even closer links with Russia. According to the September 2014 poll by the Institute for Independent Social and Economic Political Research (IISEPS), only 23% of respondents said they would vote for uniting with Russia in a hypothetical referendum while 54% of respondents said they would vote against it. A similarly small share of respondents favoured joining the EU (25%). Support for both EU and Russia has weakened over time. An earlier IISEPS poll in June 2009 showed 42.1% of respondents favoured a union with Russia and 41.4 % favoured joining the EU.