Results of our studies

MOSCOWMay, 11, 2007. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) submits information about Russians' attitudes to ‘marches of protest' and their participants, what do they think of those participants and militia actions.

Only 5% of respondents identify they have been watching protest actions closely. Other 43% ‘have heard something' about it. 49% are not aware of these ‘marches' at all. And there are 58% of those who have not heard anything about ‘marches of protest' within youth of 18-24 years old

Mainly information about ‘marches of protest' was received via television (as 42% of overall respondents and 65% of Muscovites identify). Less often respondents identified radio and press (7% each). Some got information from friends and relatives (5%). Other 3% got to know about ‘marches' via internet (1% of rural inhabitants and up to 6% in Moscow and St Petersburg).

Only 3% of interviewed say they had comprehensively discussed protest actions with friends/relatives. 13% have noticed this issue in conversations. The majority of 72% have not discussed it at all.

What goals were initiators and participants intend to achieve? 72% were not able to name anything. 8% suppose it was an attempt to draw authorities' attention to certain social problems. 5% think that the purpose was to distract Russians from the real problems and destabilize the state. Other purposes respondents identified were struggle for observance of civic rights and liberties (5%), an attempt to stand out of other political organizations (4%), expressing non-agreement with current state policy (4%), etc.

The overwhelming majority of respondents (95%) can not say what slogans were the ‘protesting' ones advancing. Some said that ‘protesters' wanted fundamental changes of country's policy to be made (1%), lowering housing and communal services rates (1%), wages increase (1%) and pensions increase (1%).

17% of respondents support these ‘marches' (3% of them are ready to participate and 14% are feeling supportive to ‘protesting' but not going to participate). 26% of respondents are opponents of ‘marches' (9% of them think that such actions should be prohibited and 17% do not support these actions, but they admit ‘marches' participants' rights to protest). 30% of the interviewed are indifferent to ‘marches', other 27% are in difficulty with estimating ‘marches' anyhow. Muscovites and St Petersburg citizens are the least supportive to these actions (10% of supporters, 27% of opponents).

In opinion of 27% of respondents the participants of these actions are those who are not satisfied with their lives and authorities' policy. 22% of respondents think these people are having fun this way in their spare time. 11% describe protest actions participants as honest, caring for the country men of principles. 6% say they are mentally unstable, inclined to asocial behavior. Moscow and St Petersburg respondents see ‘marches' participants just as slackers (44%), in other types of population centers they are viewed as residents who are really dissatisfied with country policy.

Whose interests are represented by initiators of ‘marches'? In the view of 24% of respondents they represent the interests of those citizens whose rights were violated somehow. 23% of respondents say ‘marches' represent radical opposition and politicians who are ‘dismissed' from their posts. 13% think ‘marches' represent opinions of many people. 9% say they are organized by foreign special services. 38% are in difficulty to answer. Moscow citizens' position stands out: many of them think that these actions are held to represent interests of oppositional politicians who have been ‘dismissed' (45% of Muscovites against 23% of Russians overall), some Muscovites believe they are organized by foreign special services (26% against 9% in average).

Militia actions are approved by 11% of respondents and not approved by 15%. In Moscow and St Petersburg correlation differs: 20% estimate militiamen actions as right ones and 14% think they were unacceptable. Half of Russians does not know anything about militia activity and one fourth of respondents are in difficulty to answer.

All-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM, April, 28-29, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population centers of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.

‘Marches of protest' have been held in Moscow and other cities. Have you heard anything about it?

 

Total respondents

Age, years

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 and older

Yes, I am watching these event closely

5

3

4

3

6

5

I have heard something

43

36

41

50

46

38

Have not heard anything

49

58

50

43

46

51

Difficult to answer

3

3

5

4

2

6

How did you know about ‘marches of protest' (unlimited number of responses)

 

Total respondents

Type of population center

Moscow and St Petersburg

More than 500thousand

100-500thousand

Less than 100thousand

Village

Television

42

65

47

39

41

36

Radio

7

9

9

6

4

6

Press

7

12

11

6

6

4

Told by friends/relatives

5

6

4

8

4

4

Internet

3

6

4

5

1

1

Participated personally

1

-

1

0

1

1

Difficult to answer

47

28

40

51

49

53

Did you discuss ‘marches of protest' with your friends/relatives

 

Total respondents

Age, years

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-59

60 and older

Yes, discussed in detail

3

3

2

3

4

3

Yes, we noticed this issue

13

8

15

13

15

14

No, we did not discuss it

72

76

72

73

69

71

Difficult to answer

12

13

11

11

12

12

What purposes do you think initiators and participants of ‘marches of protest' are trying to achieve? (open-ended question,up to two responses)

To draw authorities' attention to certain social problems

8

To distract Russians from the real problems and destabilize the state

5

Struggle for observance of civic rights and liberties

5

To stand out of other political organizations

4

Expressing non-agreement with current state policy

4

Political race for power

2

Personal interests of participants

2

There is no definite motivation

1

Other

1

Difficult to answer

72

Have you memorized any slogans of ‘marches of protest'? If so, what are they? (open-ended question, unlimited number of responses)

Antigovernmental slogans. Calls for president Putin and his government resigning

1

Lowering housing and communal services rates

1

Slogan ‘Decent pension', calls for improving pensioners' living conditions

1

Calls for increasing wages, provide decent living conditions

1

Other

1

Difficult to answer

96

What is your attitude to ‘marches of protest' and their participants?

 

Total respondents

Type of population center

Moscow and St Petersburg

More than 500thousand

100-500thousand

Less than 100thousand

Village

I support these ‘marches' and ready to participate in the future

3

1

5

2

5

3

I support these ‘marches' but not ready to participate in the future

14

9

15

16

17

13

I am indifferent

30

56

32

23

30

26

I do not support these actions, but admit ‘marches' participants' rights to protest

17

21

16

15

13

19

I do not support these actions and I think these actions should be prohibited

9

6

7

14

8

8

Difficult to answer

27

7

25

30

27

31

Who do you think mostly participants of these ‘marches' are?

 

Total respondents

Type of population center

Moscow and St Petersburg

More than 500thousand

100-500thousand

Less than 100thousand

Village

Those who are not satisfied with their lives and authorities' policy

27

23

27

28

27

29

Honest, caring for their country men of principles

11

4

12

12

14

10

Mentally unstable, inclined to asocial behavior

6

10

9

6

4

3

People having fun this way in their spare time

22

44

21

16

18

21

Other

2

3

3

0

2

1

Difficult to answer

32

16

28

38

35

36

Whose interests do you think are represented by ‘marches of protest' (up to two responses)

 

Total respondents

Monthly income per family member, rubles

Up to 1500

1501-3000

3001-5000

5001 and higher

Interests of many people

13

18

16

13

9

Interests of those citizens whose rights were violated somehow

24

8

27

25

21

Interests of radical opposition and politicians who are ‘dismissed' from their posts

23

17

20

23

35

Interests of foreign special services

9

6

6

10

16

Difficult to answer

38

52

38

36

29

How do you evaluate militia dealing with ‘marches of protest'?

 

Total respondents

Type of population center

Moscow and St Petersburg

More than 500thousand

100-500thousand

Less than 100thousand

Village

Militiamen activity was correct

11

20

8

13

8

10

There were quite a few of unacceptable acts

15

14

15

14

18

14

I do not know anything about militia activity

50

54

46

47

53

51

Difficult to answer

24

12

31

26

21

25


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