Rating is falling, but image is improving

The article gives the results of elections to the State Duma and presidential elections in Russia outside the Russian Federation in 2003-2012. The reasons of the fall of interest of Russians residing abroad for the parliamentary elections in Russia, and at the same time the reasons for the unflagging interest and increased voter turnout during the presidential elections are given. The author also makes conclusions about the reasons for the growth of the Russian president's image abroad.