Moscow, 1 February: Russians expect the presidential election to be fair and hope that there will be less vote-rigging than there was during the Duma election, a survey has shown.
One in two Russians (49 per cent) predicts that the presidential election on 4 March will be fair, 28 per cent do not believe this will be the case, and at the moment 23 per cent are struggling to express their opinion on this issue, sociologists from the Levada Centre have told Interfax on the basis of a nationwide opinion poll carried out in January.
At the same time, 30 per cent of citizens are expecting there will be less vote-rigging at the presidential election than there was at the State Duma election, while 10 per cent are sure that there will be no violations or vote-rigging. Overall, 37 per cent of those asked believe that there will be just as much and in fact even more vote-rigging than during the Duma election.
Meanwhile, Russians are not united in their view of the need for street protests against electoral violations and the rigging of the vote, the research by the sociologists shows.
Forty-three per cent of the public support such protests, while 42 per cent take a negative view of them, the sociologists told Interfax.
At the same time, it transpired that the overwhelming majority of Russians - 78 per cent - would not take part in such protests if they were to take place in the near future in their town/district.
Out of the 1,600 people surveyed by sociologists on 20-23 January in 130 towns and villages in 45 regions, 13 per cent are ready to take part in those events.
Two-thirds of Russians surveyed (65 per cent) believe that the current wave of events in protest at violations in the organization and holding of elections will remain for a certain period of time, and will then subside. Seventeen per cent predict the wave will swell, if the authorities do not accommodate the protesters.
Twenty-nine per cent of Russians know at least something about the non-political movement League of Voters, which was set up on the basis of the protests, while a majority (72 per cent) heard about the movement for the first time during the opinion poll. At the same time, 17 per cent of those surveyed are sure that this group was set up exclusively in the interests of Russia's voters.
(Passage omitted: more information on League of Voters)
In the opinion of the majority of Russians surveyed (59 per cent), Vladimir Putin, prime minister and presidential candidate, should meet the league's representatives and discuss election issues with them, while 13 per cent are opposed to any such dialogue.
(Passage omitted: background on Putin's public statements about the League of Voters)
Keywords: Russia, Government, Politics - Russia News - Russia
Moscow, 1 February: Russians expect the presidential election to be fair and hope that there will be less vote-rigging than there was during the Duma election, a survey has shown.
One in two Russians (49 per cent) predicts that the presidential election on 4 March will be fair, 28 per cent do not believe this will be the case, and at the moment 23 per cent are struggling to express their opinion on this issue, sociologists from the Levada Centre have told Interfax on the basis of a nationwide opinion poll carried out in January.
At the same time, 30 per cent of citizens are expecting there will be less vote-rigging at the presidential election than there was at the State Duma election, while 10 per cent are sure that there will be no violations or vote-rigging. Overall, 37 per cent of those asked believe that there will be just as much and in fact even more vote-rigging than during the Duma election.
Meanwhile, Russians are not united in their view of the need for street protests against electoral violations and the rigging of the vote, the research by the sociologists shows.
Forty-three per cent of the public support such protests, while 42 per cent take a negative view of them, the sociologists told Interfax.
At the same time, it transpired that the overwhelming majority of Russians - 78 per cent - would not take part in such protests if they were to take place in the near future in their town/district.
Out of the 1,600 people surveyed by sociologists on 20-23 January in 130 towns and villages in 45 regions, 13 per cent are ready to take part in those events.
Two-thirds of Russians surveyed (65 per cent) believe that the current wave of events in protest at violations in the organization and holding of elections will remain for a certain period of time, and will then subside. Seventeen per cent predict the wave will swell, if the authorities do not accommodate the protesters.
Twenty-nine per cent of Russians know at least something about the non-political movement League of Voters, which was set up on the basis of the protests, while a majority (72 per cent) heard about the movement for the first time during the opinion poll. At the same time, 17 per cent of those surveyed are sure that this group was set up exclusively in the interests of Russia's voters.
(Passage omitted: more information on League of Voters)
In the opinion of the majority of Russians surveyed (59 per cent), Vladimir Putin, prime minister and presidential candidate, should meet the league's representatives and discuss election issues with them, while 13 per cent are opposed to any such dialogue.
(Passage omitted: background on Putin's public statements about the League of Voters)