Moscow, 12 October: People in Russia today show a preference for parties of patriotic orientation, research conducted by VTsIOM (All-Russia Centre for the Study of Public Opinion) and published in Moscow on Friday (12 October) has shown.

The results of the October poll indicate that 60 per cent of the electorate are prepared to cast their votes for parties of this kind in the forthcoming election to the State Duma; 40 per cent intend to support those parties that stand for democratic values, according to VTsIOM data, and 38 per cent, left-wing socialist parties.

VTsIOM conducted its nationwide poll on 6 and 7 October in 153 towns and villages in 46 regions, territories and republics of Russia; 1,600 people took part. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4 per cent.

People over 60 were most inclined to vote for patriotic parties: 65 per cent of them intend to do so. However, 55 per cent of people aged between 18 and 24 would choose patriotic parties as well.

The results of the poll show that in Moscow, St Petersburg and other large cities patriotic parties have less support, with only 53 per cent considering the possibility of voting for them, while in small towns and villages the figures vary between 61 and 64 per cent.

Asked for which of the patriotic parties they could consider voting, 76 per cent of "patriotic" voters named One Russia, 15 per cent A Just Russia, 12 per cent the CPRF (Communist Party of Russian Federation), 4 per cent the Patriots of Russia party and 2 per cent People's Union.

According to VTsIOM, among the socialist left-wing parties 63 per cent of voters would consider voting for One Russia, 17 per cent for the CPRF, 17 per cent for A Just Russia, 6 per cent for the Agrarian Party, 4 per cent for Patriots of Russia and 1 per cent for People's Union.

The VTsIOM polls conducted on 8 - 9 September and 29 - 30 September indicate that One Russia is in the lead in terms of political preferences of pro-democracy voters, 70 per cent of those polled would consider voting for it, while its main rival the SPS (Union of Right Forces) has the support of 8 per cent of voters.