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IN BRIEF

5Participants of the Moscow protests wanted to express their disagreement with the results of the parliamentary elections. Most of them are going to participate in such actions again.

MOSCOW, 27 December 2011. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of the poll conducted among the participants of the rally on the Sakharov prospect that took place December 24th.

The portrait of the typical participant is as follows: they are men (64%), mainly younger than 45 (62%), with high level of education (70%), specialists having higher education diplomas in the commercial sector (44%) and average financial income (56%).

Most of the participants took part in the parliamentary voting (81%). They are mainly those who voted for the Yabloko party (27%), CPRF (17%) and LDPR (16%).  Among candidates for the presidential elections the participants of the rally tend to support Mikhail Prokhorov and Gennady Yavlinsky (17% for each).

The main reason behind the participation of Russians in the rally is their disagreement with the results of the State Duma elections (32%). This is followed by their protests against the authorities (15%) and desire to demonstrate active civic involvement (12%). Russians also cite their willingness to act against lie and outrage (9%), to live better (5%); others cite personal interest; they also protest because their friends do so (5% for each)  et cet.

The main source of information was the Internet (66%). Less Russians found out about the action from other mass media sources (21%), as well as friends (15%). Amid radio stations “Ekho of Moscow” is mostly cited by respondents (9%); Vkontakte and Facebook are top popular social networking sites  (3% for each).

Most popular slogan was “For the free and fair elections” (37%). Less Russians agree with such slogans as “Down with Putin” (25%), cancel the results of the elections (19%); this is followed by “Down with Churov” (9%), “Down with crooks and thieves” (7%), “Putin`s a thief”.

Most of respondents cited that they planned to support next action of protests (89%). Other 8% reported that it depends on the situation.

Remarkably, most of respondents favor the reforms proposed by the president Dmitry Medvedev: 11% support them; other 33% approve but they think that the reforms are not enough.  

 The poll was conducted by VCIM during the rally on December 24th, 2011.

600 respondents were interviewed.  

 

Gender

Male

64

Female

36


Age

18-24

17

25-34

24

35-44

21

45-59

24

60 and above

13


Education

Elementary, incomplete secondary

7

Secondary,  technical college

9

Secondary special

13

Higher, incomplete higher

70


What do you do for your living (profession, job, position)?

Qualified worker, including agriculture

2

Non-qualified worker, including agriculture

11

Employee without higher education diplomas

3

Employee with higher education diploma working in the commercial sector

44

Employee with higher education diploma (budget worker)

5

Serviceman, bodies of interior affairs, including police  

2

Businessman, entrepreneur

5

State and municipal worker

2

Retired person

10

Unemployed, maternity leave

2

Student

10

Other

2

Hard to tell

1


Financial assessment

Very good

5

Good

29

Average

56

Bad

9

Very bad

0

Hard to tell

0


Why do you participate in today`s rally? (open-ended question, any number of answers)

Unfair elections, disagreement with the results

32

Protest against authorities, political system, situation in the country

15

Active civic position, civic duty

12

Against lie, theft, corruption, outrage

9

I am here with my friends

5

Interest, curiosity

5

I want better life, changes

5

Against Putin

4

I support the opposition

4

I watch events and people

2

Against Medvedev

2

Against United Russia (party of crooks and thieves)

1

No democracy

1

Other

4

Hard to tell

5


From what sources did you find out about the today`s rally? (open-ended question, any number of answers)

Internet, sites

66

Mass media, radio, TV (no details)

21

Friends, colleagues told me

15

Ekho of Moscow

9

I participated in the previous rally at Bolotnaya naberezhnaya  

5

Vkontakte

3

Facebook

3

Social networking sites

2

Odnoklassniki

1

Other

1

Hard to tell

0


Which of the slogans stated during the rally do you most agree? (open-ended question, any number of answers)

For free, fair elections

37

Down with Putin

25

Cancel and revise the election results

19

Down with Churov

9

Down with crooks and thieves, liars and corruptionists   

7

Putin`s a thief, go to jail

6

Change of power, political system

5

We are not banderbloggers, neither slaves, not donkeys et cet.

4

Medveputs, go away

3

Russia will be free

3

Free political prisoners

3

Power to people

2

Punish the guilty, take them to court

2

Love your home? Go with us!

2

Give us our rights, decent life

2

More parties for the elections, registration of all the parties

2

Thieves to jail

1

Russia for everyone

1

For fair Russia

1

Change the Constitution, Change the laws

1

Good migration policy

1

Disagree

1

Other

4

Hard to tell

4


If such actions happen in the near future will you attend? (close-ended question, one answer)

Definitely yes

51

Rather yes

38

Rather no

0

No way

1

It depends on the situation

8

Hard to tell

1


The president D. Medvedev has recently announced reforms of political system. Which of the following statements is closer to you? (close-ended question, one answer)

I support these reforms

11

Reforms are good but they are not enough. We need more radical and quick reforms  

33

Poor reforms; I do not support them

27

I did not hear about these proposals

20

Hard to tell

9


Did you participate in the parliamentary elections that took place on 4th of December? If yes, which party did you vote for? (close-ended question, one answer)

A Just Russia

16

LDPR (Liberal and Democratic Party of Russia)

8

Patriots of Russia

2

CPRF (Communist party)

17

Yabloko

27

United Russia

3

Right Cause

1

I came to spoil the ballot

6

I did not take part

12

Hard to tell

7


In march 2012 the presidential elections will take place in Russia. Will you attend them? If yes, which candidate will you support?(close-ended question, one answer)

Grigory Yavlinsky

17

Gennady Zyuganov

9

Vladimir Putin

1

Mikhail Prokhorov

17

Vladimir Zhirinovsky

4

Sergey Mironov

8

Dmitry Mezentsev

0

I will spoil the ballot

5

I will not attend the elections

5

Other candidate

11

Hard to tell

21


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