MOSCOW, October 15, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning whether Russians are interested in politics, who they trust as far as political issues are concerned and what influences them before they make political decisions. The data has been obtained within the framework of a survey carried out by VCIOM in September this year upon request of the Central Election Committee of the Russian Federation.

More than half of Russians - 60% - mention that they are not interested in politics (including 24% of those who are totally indifferent to this issue). 37% of respondents show interest in politics. The respondents of 45 years of age and older display more interest (43-45%), than respondents aged 35-44 years (34%) and, especially, than those aged 18-34 years (28-30%).

40% of respondents participate in discussions devoted to politics. Another 17% indicate that these topics are being discussed in the bosom of their family and friends, but they themselves do not take active part in them. Political discussions are least popular among young people of 18-24 years of age (28% among them participate in discussions like that); whereas they are most common among the respondents aged 45 years and older (46-47%).

Family members, relatives (28% indicate how trustworthy their opinion is) and also President of Russia (23%) serve as the most common political "newsmakers" for Russians. Respondents more rarely take into account the opinion of close friends, co-workers, fellow-students, colleagues from the service (16%); well-known and respected politicians (11%); journalists, commentators and anchors (5%). No more than 2% of respondents identified actors, heads of educational institutions, enterprises, and also heads of regions and other territorial units as having authority as far as political issues are concerned. Every third respondent (31%) identifies that it is important for him/her to have his/her own opinion and not the one of others.

For young people it is especially important what opinion their relatives have (33%), for respondents of 60 years and older it is the President's point of view that is of particular meaning (31%). Respondents of 25-44 years of age (35-36%) much more frequently than the others declare the independence of their judgments on political issues.

13% of respondents were decisively influenced by their relatives during the last elections to the State Duma, 9% were experienced this sort of influence from the mass media, 6% from friends and acquaintances. The opinion of the immediate environment was especially important for the supporters of "Unified Russia" (16%), whereas the media most significantly influenced the voters of "Fair Russia" (17%).

The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on September 17-27, 2007. 3000  respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.