Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

The public attitudes towards a new head of the Central Election Commission are positive.

MOSCOW, March 28, 2016. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the results of the survey describing the Russian attitudes towards Ella Pamfilova and her appointment as Chairman of the Central Election Commission.

Every second Russian is aware of who Ella Pamfilova is. Today most of people know her as human rights ombudsman of the Russian Federation (7%), politician and public figure (6%). One-third of Russians (33%) heard about her but failed to specify who she was. 

Those who are aware of who she is have positive or neutral attitudes toward her. Seventeen percent respect her; 12% trust her; 10% like her. About one-quarter of Russians (28%) have neither positive nor negative feelings: the same share of them (28%) are undecided.

Every fifth (19%) favors the idea to appoint Pamfilova as head of Central Election Commission (mainly elderly Russians – 34% of those who are aged over 60). Seven percent oppose them. However, the majority of respondents (58%) do not provide any assessments.

According to Medialogia Company analysis, Ella Pamfilova was mentioned more than 18 thousand times in the Russian media from January 2015 through March 2016. Most of publications were found in March 2016 (3 thousand mentions). The media reported on the V. Putin’s executive order on the members of the Central Election Commission including E. Pamfilova. After being appointed as a member of a new composition of the Central Election Commission, E. Pamfilova addressed her early resignation letter to the State Duma.

The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on March 12-13, 2016. A total of 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 settlements in 46 regions and republics of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%. Russian media monitoring and analysis were carried out by the Medialogia Company in January 2015 - March 2016, using approximately 30800 sources such as television, radio, newspapers, magazines.  

Do you know anything about Ella Pamfilova and her activities? Who is she? What does she do? (open-ended question, any number of answers, %)

 

Total respondents

Human rights defender

7

Politician / deputy / minister / public figure  

6

She was responsible for social policies

3

Active / adequate / competent

1

Central Election Commission member

1

Other

2

I heard only her surname; I know nothing about her activities

33

I do not know who she is; this is the first time I hear about her

48

Don’t know

1 

What feelings does Ella Pamfilova evoke in you? (closed-ended question, not more than two answers, % of those who know anything about Ella Pamfilova)

 

Total respondents

Positive feelings

Respect

17

Trust

12

Liking

10

Hope

8

Admiration

1

Love

1

Negative feelings

Distrust

2

Skepsis

2

Dislike

1

Disappointment

1

Condemnation

1

Hatred

0

Neutral feelings

Indifference

28

Don’t know

28 

Reportedly, Ella Pamfilova may become chairman of the Central Election Commission?

How would you assess her appointment?  (closed-ended question, on answer, %)

 

Total respondents

Aged 18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 and over

Likely positive

19

15

9

13

20

34

Likely negative

7

3

5

6

8

11

Indifferent

58

66

70

60

57

38

Don’t know

16

16

16

21

15

17

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory. Full or partial reproduction of the Medialogia Company materials in other media must contain a reference to the Medialogia Company.

Read the article in Russian