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#6 - JRL 2006-212 - JRL Home
Poll Shows Russians View Duma's Work Neutrally Or Negatively

MOSCOW. Sept 21 (Interfax) - Russians take a neutral or negative attitude toward the work of the current State Duma, according to a public opinion poll conducted by the All-Russia Public Opinion Survey Center (VTsIOM), the results of which were obtained by Interfax on Thursday.

The September poll showed that 29% of Russians have a negative opinion about the Duma's work, believing it to have passed a number of bills worsening living standards. Another 14% were appreciative of the Duma's work, and 37% have a neutral attitude toward it.

The percentage of Russians negatively viewing the Duma's work has grown to 29% from 25% and the share of neutral attitudes has declined to 37% from 44% in the past year, the poll showed.

Among the bills passed by the Duma that benefited Russia most of all, initiatives on encouraging births and increasing pensions and salaries of government-paid employees were each mentioned by 7% of respondents. Respondents also mentioned bills facilitating the formalization of ownership of private country gardens, developing the mortgage system, reducing the term of army service, the so-called national projects, initiatives against corruption, and the ban on charging incoming mobile calls (1%-2% each).

Among the most "harmful" bills passed by the Duma, 11% mentioned the legislation replacing benefits with monetary compensation, 7% the housing and utilities reform, and 1%-2% the law on privatization, amendments to traffic regulations, and the army draft bill.