#15 - JRL 2009-218 - JRL Home
Most Russians positive about Medvedev address, but overall interest down - poll
Interfax

Moscow, 25 November: Most Russians viewed the ideas put forward by Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev in his address to the Federal Assembly positively, however this year the number of Russians who followed the president's speech was fewer than last year, a survey from the All-Russia Public Opinion Research Centre (VTsIOM) has shown.

Over a third of Russians showed interest in the president's address which Medvedev gave on 12 November: 12 per cent followed the head of state's speech carefully, 26 per cent learnt of the main ideas from news bulletins.

A year ago, these figures were 17 and 28 per cent, respectively, VTsIOM sociologists reported to Interfax on Wednesday (25 November) regarding the results of a poll carried out in 140 locations in 42 Russian regions, territories and republics.

According to their results, 42 per cent of our fellow citizens did not follow the president's message, and a further 18 per cent reported that they were not interested in politics whatsoever (in 2008 - 40 and 16 per cent
respectively).

Supporters of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (22 per cent), southerners (16 per cent) and elderly respondents (21 per cent) paid most attention to the head of state's speech.

It was mainly followers of A Just Russia and One Russia (35 and 30 per cent respectively) and Volga Region residents (34 per cent) who familiarized themselves with its main excerpts in the media.

It was mainly followers of the Yabloko, Right Cause and Patriots of Russia parties (56 per cent), Siberians and (Russian) Far East residents (48 and 49 per cent respectively) as well as 18-24 year old Russians who did not show any interest in Medvedev's address, the VTsIOM research shows.

Of everything the president said in his address, the poll showed that Russians most liked the ideas regarding support for pensioners and veterans (19 per cent).

His countrymen also appreciated Medvedev's initiatives for fighting corruption (13 per cent) and introducing innovation (10 per cent).

Among the other themes of the address that people liked were the creation of conditions for improving the health of the nation (7 per cent), tackling unemployment and reforming school education (6 per cent each), ways to emerge from the crisis and a reduction in the number of time zones (5 per cent each), modernizing the army's technical equipment and supplying servicemen with housing (3 per cent), fighting terrorism, the restoration and revival of industry, reviving manufacturing and science, and reforms to the judicial system (2 per cent each), and reducing state regulation in the economy (1 per cent).

Five per cent of the respondents who familiarized themselves with the address reported that the viewed all ideas put forward by the head of state positively.

The overwhelming majority of the respondents who followed the address (either personally or through media reports) cannot name any proposals which they did not like (86 per cent).

The remainder point to the ideas of reducing the number of time zones and reforming school education (2 per cent each), fighting corruption, financial aid to the North Caucasus, reforms to the tax system and reducing state regulation in the economy (1 per cent each).

A further 1 per cent of respondents said that Medvedev did not pay much attention to the army and defence in his speech.

Three per cent of respondents said that none of what the president said would be implemented while another 3 per cent said that no concrete proposals were made.


Bookmark and Share - Back to the Top -        

-

Bookmark and Share

- Back to the Top -        


 
 
---->
  Follow Johnson's Russia List on Twitter