MOSCOW, December 17, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how Russians estimate the latest election campaign during the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, which parties they would like to see in the lower chamber of parliament.
Elections to the State Duma passed in an open, democratic and fair political struggle, as 53% of Russians identify. 19% of respondents adhere to the opposite point of view. The opinion that elections-2007 were quite democratic is more characteristic of villages rather than cities or towns (57% versus 48-52% respectively). The estimations of the democratic character of the elections have changed for the better in the last four years: the proportion amounted to 49:26 in 2003.
The share of respondents who totally trust the results of parliamentary elections has grown within the four years (from 39% up to 45%), whereas the number of respondents who concede that some manipulations did take place at the local level but that did not affect the election results in the country as a whole has reduced (from 33% down to 29%). Only 12% of respondents do not believe the official outcome of the elections. The share of those who consider the outcome to be trustworthy is higher in the country and the capitals (49-51%) than in other cities and towns (40-42%).
Half of respondents cannot name a party that should have passed into the State Duma in addition to the four winner parties. The rest most often express regret regarding the fact that Agrarian Party is not in the State Duma (19% of Russians, 25% of people in villages do so). 5% of respondents would like to see "Yabloko" in the new Duma convocation; 4% of respondents for each party want to see "Civilian Power", Union of Right Forces, Party of Social Justice and "Patriots of Russia" there; 2% would like Democratic Party of Russia to be there. Residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg express their regret as to the fact that "Yabloko" and "Civilian Power" are not represented in the State Duma, more often (13% and 9% respectively).
The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on December 8-9, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
How would you estimate the last election campaign that took place before the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation? | ||
| 2003 | 2007 |
The elections passed in an open, democratic and fair political struggle | 49 | 53 |
These elections could not be called genuinely free and democratic | 26 | 19 |
Hard to say | 25 | 28 |
To what extent do you think one can believe the parliamentary elections outcome? | ||
| 2003 | 2007 |
I think that the outcome is authoritative and coincides with the expression of the voters will | 39 | 45 |
Some manipulations did take place at the local level but that did not affect the election results in the country | 33 | 29 |
I do not think one should trust the election results | 14 | 12 |
Hard to say | 14 | 14 |
Not all parties that participated in the elections managed to enter State Duma. Which of these parties would you like to see in the new State Duma convocation and regret that they did not overcome the 7% threshold? (Any number of responses) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Type of Settlement | ||||
Moscow and St. Petersburg | More than 500 thousand residents | 100-500 thousand residents | Less than 100 thousand residents | Villages | ||
There is no such party | 50 | 58 | 47 | 51 | 53 | 46 |
Agrarian Party of Russia | 19 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 25 |
"Yabloko" | 5 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
"Civilian Power" | 4 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
Union of Right Forces, SPS | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
Party of Social Justice | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
"Patriots of Russia" | 4 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
Democratic Party of Russia | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Hard to say | 20 | 15 | 23 | 19 | 24 | 19 |