CONSTITUTION AND LIFE: VCIOM: Russia Public Opinion Research Center

On December 12, Russian marks Constitution Day. Do you personally know the Russian constitution’s text, basic provisions, or not?

(close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)

I am well aware of the basic provisions; I’ve read this document

I have a general view of the basic constitutional provisions

I have no idea what the Russian constitution is about

Don’t know

Photo: Антон Новодережкин/ТАСС

CONSTITUTION AND LIFE

Two-thirds of Russians consider that the current constitution meets the needs of the country and its people. The share of those who are criticizing the constitution has decreased from 25% to 20% over the recent six years.

12.12.2023

IN BRIEF

• 81% of Russians know the basic constitutional provisions or have a general idea of what the constitution is (+8 p.p. compared to 2009).;

• 28% of those who know what the constitution is about say they studied it at university, 23%, at school, 26%, on their own.;

• 65% of Russians consider that the current constitution fully meets the needs of the country and its citizens.

MOSCOW, 12 December 2023. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the findings of a monitoring study devoted to Constitution Day.

Law of the land

Generally, eight out of ten Russians know the main law of the country (81%), including 13% of those who have read the document and know it very well, and 68% have a general idea of what the document is about. Before 2019, the level of awareness was at 72-78% (2009— 73%, 2012 — 77%, 2013 — 78%, 2016 — 72%). Just before the 2019 Constitutional referendum the awareness hit its high (2019 — 82%, including 23% of those who read the constitution). Eighteen percent of respondents know nothing about the constitution, which is one of the all-time lows (2009 — 24%, 2012 — 22%, 2013 — 20%, 2016 — 26%, 2019 — 17%).

Young respondents are more likely to be aware of the constitutional provisions; about 84-86% of those aged 18-34 know the constitution (vs 79-78% of those aged 45+). Among those aged 18-24 every fifth has read the document (20% vs 8-9% of those aged 45+).
Those who know the constitution better are also respondents with higher education diplomas (90% know it well or have a general idea) and metropolitan residents (93%).

It is taught at school…

Although 28% of respondents (-10 p.p. compared to 2018) say that they know the constitution because they studied it at university and 23% studied it at school (-7 p.p. compared to 2018), Russians know the constitution not only because it was part of their studies. Oftentimes they studied the main law of the land on their own initiative (26%). It is basically common among men (31% vs. 22% of women) and inhabitants of large cities (Moscow, St Petersburg — 33%, million-plus cities — 37%, cities with the population of 500-950 thousand inhabitants — 31% vs. 16% of rural area inhabitants).

Those who are most aware of the text of the Russian constitution are young respondents under 25, those who graduated from school not long time ago and those who are currently studying at universities; most often they are school students (52%) or university students (56%).

Another 15% say they had to study the constitution for work purposes. Every fourth respondent who knows the constitution did not have to learn it and to get familiar with its provisions in a purposeful manner (26%, +8 p.p. compared to 2018).

Constitutional change

Two-thirds of Russians are confident that the current constitution fully meets the needs of the country and its people (65%, +3 p.p. compared to 2017). Remarkably, 78% of young Russians under 25 share this opinion. They are opposed by 20% of respondents (−7 p.p. compared to 2017), most often those respondents who have unfavorable financial situation (40%).

VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide telephone survey was conducted December 3, 2023. A total of 1,600 Russians aged 18+ were surveyed. Survey method: telephone interviews, stratified random sample based on a complete list of mobile phone numbers in use in Russia. The data were weighted for socio-demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.

Key effectiveness indicators, survey of 3 December 2023: cooperation rate (CR)* = 0.8480; minimum response rate (MRR)** = 0.0195; response rate (RR)*** = 0.1010. calculations are based on corporate standards: https://profi.wciom.ru/principy_standarty/korporativnyj-standart-po-izmereniyu-rezultativnosti-oprosov-sputnik-vciom/

* Household face-to-face interviews (“Express” project; stratified multistage sample with quotas based on socio-demographic parameters, representative of the Russian population aged 18 and older according to the type of settlement, gender, age, education and federal district. Sample size: 1,600 respondents.

On December 12, Russian marks Constitution Day. Do you personally know the Russian constitution’s text, basic provisions, or not? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total	Men	Women	Ages 18-24	25-34	35-44	45-59	60 +
I am well aware of the basic provisions; I’ve read this document	13	14	11	20	17	17	9	8
I have a general view of the basic constitutional provisions	68	66	69	64	69	64	70	70
I have no idea what the Russian constitution is about	18	18	18	12	13	19	19	20
Don’t know	1	2	2	4	1	<1	2	2

Have you happened to study the constitution, to get familiar with some of its provisions, or not? If “yes”, where and under what circumstances? (close-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who know or have a general idea of the basic constitutional provisions)
	2018	2023
University studies	38	28
Personal initiative	23	26
At school	30	23
For work purposes	15	15
I haven’t studied the Russian constitution	18	26
Other	3	4
Don’t know	1	1

Have you happened to study the constitution, to get familiar with some of its provisions, or not? If “yes”, where and under what circumstances? (close-ended question, any number of answers, % of those who know or have an idea of the basic constitutional provisions)
	Total	Men	Women	Ages 18-24	25-34	35-44	45-59	60 +
University studies	28	24	31	56	27	34	22	19
At school	23	19	27	52	36	19	16	16
Personal initiative	26	31	22	27	33	28	29	19
For work purposes	15	12	16	6	14	19	17	12
I haven’t studied the Russian constitution	26	28	25	4	14	20	32	39
Other	4	5	4	4	2	6	3	5
Don’t know	1	0	1	0	0	0	1	2

In your opinion, does the current constitution meet the needs of the country and its people? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	2017	2023
Definitely yes	12	15
Likely yes	50	50
Likely not	19	15
Not at all	8	5
Don’t know	11	15

In your opinion, does the current constitution meet the needs of the country and its people? (close-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents)
	Total	Men	Women	Ages 18-24	25-34	35-44	45-59	60 +
Definitely yes	15	15	15	29	16	14	11	15
Likely yes	50	46	53	49	47	50	48	51
Likely not	15	17	13	16	16	17	15	12
Not at all	5	6	5	2	6	4	7	6
Don’t know	15	16	14	4	15	15	19	16

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