KIEV, April 21 – Opposition leader Viktor Yanukovych is the most popular politician in Ukraine ahead of this year’s presidential election, with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and former Parliamentary Speaker Arseniy Yatseniuk trailing behind, an opinion poll showed Tuesday.

Tymoshenko’s rating has been suffering from severe economic crisis while both Yanukovych and Yatseniuk blamed the government for slow action in battling the crisis.

Yanukovych enjoys support from 37.9% of respondents, followed by Tymoshenko’s 21.3% and Yatseniuk’s 20.1%, according to the poll by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology.

Tymoshenko and Yatseniuk ratings are within the statistical margin of error, suggesting that both remain chances of making it to the runoff with Yanukovych.

Yanukovych would defeat both in the runoff, but his dominance over Tymosheko had a greater margin, the poll showed.

Yanukovych would defeat Tymoshenko by 52.6% vs. 42.5%, while his victory over Yatseniuk would come at 50.2% vs. 45.1%, according to the poll.

All three politicians increased their support over the past two months as their campaigns had mobilized after Parliament had earlier this month set October 25 as the date for the next presidential election.

President Viktor Yushchenko contested the date in the Constitutional Court and argues that the constitution sets the date for the next election in January 17, 2010.

Similar opinion polls conducted two months ago show that all key political figures increased their ratings as campaigns have mobilized following Parliament’s decision to set the election on October 25.

Yanukovych had support at 20.4% of respondents in February, followed by Tymoshenko’s 17.5% and Yatseniuk’s 10.1%, according to the poll by FOM-Ukraine.

Another poll, by Sofia, showed Yanukovych’s rating at 24.2%, Tymoshenko’s at 15.3% and Yatseniuk’s at 11.8% in February.

The rise of Yatseniuk, 34, a pro-Western politician, was remarkable over the past 12 months, increasing from 0.8% in January 2008.

Among political parties, Yanukovych-led Regions Party was the most popular party with 38.8%, followed by Tymoshenko Bloc’s 20.8% and Yatseniuk’s Bloc at 17%, according to the poll.

Opposition pro-Moscow Communist Party enjoyed support from 5.8%, Volodymyr Lytvyn Bloc at 4.3%, Viktor Yushchenko’s Bloc Our Ukraine at 3.2% and nationalist party Svoboda at 3%, according to the poll.

The KIIS polled 1,984 people across Ukraine between April 3 and April 12. (tl/ez)