One-third of Russians support the rallies against election fraud, however the majority believe that they should stay within the law.
MOSCOW, January 23, 2012. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing how much Russians are informed about protests over election results; what their attitudes toward protests are, and how authorities should respond to mass protests.
Russians are well informed about rallies over election results: the overwhelming majority of Russians have heard about the protests (84%), but mainly about opposition protests against election fraud (54%). The rallies of the adherents of United Russia party who supported the results of election were made less public (20%). Other 24% know about the rallies over election results but have no idea what they were about.
Russians` attitudes towards rallies in support of election results are ambiguous. Twenty-nine percent of them support them and 7% would participate in them personally. Twenty-eight percent perceive such actions negatively; 22% think these actions are legitimate and 6% think they should be banned. Thirty-three percent of respodnents are indifferent toward such protests. Those who advocate rallies in support of United Russia party are supporters of this party (37%) and residents of small cities (38%). Those who have negative attitudes are adherents of A Just Russia party (35%) and LDPR (34%), Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (43%).
As to rallies against the results of elections, more than one-third of respondents support them (35%), including 11% of those who are ready to take part in them. Twenty-four percent of respondents do not approve of these rallies and 19% believe that people have the right to participate in such actions. Rallies against election results make no difference for 33% of respondents. Those who support such rallies are mainly adherents of LDPR (58%), CPRF (54%) and non-parliament parties (60%), as well as metropolitan residents (52%). Adherents of LDPR and small parties have highest participation potential (23% and 28%, respectively). Those who have negative attitudes are supporters of United Russia party (38%) and rural area residents (29%).
According to relative majority of Russians, all the rallies should be sanctioned and be legitimate (45%). This stance is shared by A Just Russia (55%) and United Russia (52%), supporters, as well as respondents who have negative attitude towards such actions but recognize them as legitimate ones. Thirty-six percent of respondents think that authorities should not hamper non-sanctioned actions as it restricts the right to freedom of speech and assembly 36%. This point of view is taken by supporters of LDPR (45%), absentees (47%) and Russians who are ready to participate in protests against falsification of election (70%). Those who think that such actions should be banned, no matter if they are sanctioned or not, are in the minority (8%). The younger the Russians are, the more often they believe that any opposition protest is legitimate including non-sanctioned actions (41% among 18-24-year-old Russians against 27% among elderly respondents).
The initiative Russian opinion polls were conducted December 17-18, 2011. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 138 sampling points in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4 %.
Did you hear personally/ do you hear for the first time about the rallies over the parliamentary election results? If yes, what kind of rallies were they: who were organizers, which slogans did you hear? (open-ended question, any number of answers) | ||||||
Total respondents | Moscow and St.Petersburg | More than 500 thousand | 100 - 500 thousand | Less than 100 thousand | Rural area | |
I heard about rallies against falsification of election results, with claims to review the results and policies | 54 | 75 | 53 | 66 | 52 | 41 |
I heard about rallies in support of United Russia party, activists of Nashi movement supporting the results of election | 20 | 41 | 13 | 20 | 19 | 16 |
I heard about rallies over election results, but I do not know what they were about | 24 | 17 | 32 | 13 | 22 | 31 |
I hear for the first time about rallies, actions and protests | 15 | 1 | 11 | 17 | 19 | 19 |
Other | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
There have been many rallies and demonstrations across cities of Russia in support of parliamentary election results and victory of United Russia party. What is your attitude toward such actions and their participants? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||||
Total respondents | A Just Russia party | LDPR | CPRF | United Russia party | Non-parliament parties | I would not take part in elections | Hard to tell | |
I support such actins, and I am ready to take part in them myself | 7 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 6 |
I support such actions but I am not ready to participate in them | 22 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 28 | 12 | 13 | 21 |
It makes no difference to me | 33 | 35 | 30 | 28 | 31 | 38 | 43 | 34 |
I do not support such actions but I believe that people have the right to participate in them | 22 | 31 | 28 | 24 | 19 | 29 | 22 | 18 |
I do not support such actions and I believe that they should be banned | 6 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 |
Hard to tell | 10 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 16 |
Along with rallies in support for election results, there have been many actions against election fraud. What is your personal attitude toward such actions and demonstrations? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||||
Total respondents | A Just Russia party | LDPR | CPRF | United Russia party | Non-parliament parties | I would not take part in elections | Hard to tell | |
I support such actions, and I am ready to take part in them myself | 11 | 15 | 23 | 17 | 2 | 28 | 13 | 10 |
I support such actions but I am not ready to participate in them | 24 | 31 | 35 | 37 | 13 | 32 | 26 | 28 |
It makes no difference to me | 32 | 27 | 23 | 21 | 38 | 19 | 37 | 37 |
I do not support such actions but I believe that people have the right to participate in them | 19 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 30 | 10 | 13 | 10 |
I do not support such actions and I believe that they should be banned | 5 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
Hard to tell | 9 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 11 |
In your opinion, how should authorities and law enforcement bodies respond to such rallies organized by opposition? (close-ended question, one answer) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | A Just Russia party | LDPR | CPRF | United Russia party | Non-parliament parties | I would not take part in elections | Hard to tell |
Everything should be legitimate. If the actions are sanctioned, they should not be hampered; otherwise they should be banned | 45 | 55 | 37 | 44 | 52 | 39 | 32 | 44 |
Everyone has the right to freedom and assembly, even if the actions are non-sanctioned, they should not be banned | 36 | 35 | 45 | 38 | 28 | 41 | 47 | 39 |
Such actions destabilize the situation and put obstacles to other people; they should be banned, no matter if they are sanctioned or not | 8 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 4 |
Hard to tell | 10 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 13 |
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!