Results of our studies

IN BRIEF

We do not know the Constitution well but we strongly hold on to its basic rights and freedoms.

MOSCOW, December 12, 2016.  Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing the Russian awareness and attitudes towards the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

The Constitution Awareness Index* that hit 58 p. in 2013 declined to 46 p. in 2016 which is close to the 2009 meaning (49 p.) on a scale from -100 to 100. Generally, most of Russians (72%) are aware of the constitutional law (72%), however 64% have only a general view of its basic provisions. The share of Russians who are well aware of the Constitution is 8 % (average across sample) (13% among residents of Moscow and St Petersburg; 14% among respondents with high education diplomas).   

Russian attitudes regarding the importance of the Constitution on a national scale are ambiguous: 34% of respondents say that it is important for the society; 32% say that its role is insignificant, and 27% say that the constitutional provisions are nothing but mere formality and not observed in reality. 

At the same time, many respondents recognize that constitutional rights and freedoms are important. The most important rights and freedoms mentioned by them are as follows: health protection (51%), right to housing (46%), right to life (46%; 61% in 2009). Much more Russians pay attention to the importance of their right to education: over the recent seven years their number has risen from 30% to 44%. The most frequently violated constitutional rights are the right to health protection (34%), the right to labor (30%), to housing (29%), to social protection (28%), to protection of the rights and freedoms (26%).

*Constitution Awareness Index shows how much Russians are informed about the Russian Constitution content. The higher the value of index is, the higher the awareness level is. The Index is based on the question: “Are you aware of the Constitution content and its basic provisions?”; it is calculated as the difference between the sum of the answers  “Yes. I am well aware of the Constitution provision”, “I only have a general idea of the basic provisions of the Russian Constitution” and the answer “I have no idea about what the Russian Constitution is about”. The Index is measured in points and can vary between -100 and 100.

The VCIOM survey was conducted on December, 3-4, 2016, in 130 settlements, 46 regions and 8 federal districts of Russia. Sample size was 1600 persons. The survey was conducted with multi-stage stratified sample based on general rule of walking and quotas at the final selection stage; the sample is representative of the Russian population aged 18 and over according to sex, age, education, type of settlement.  The margin of error (taking into account the design effect) with 95% confidence interval does not exceed 3.5%. The survey method is community-based structured face-to-face interviews. Apart from the margin of error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the field work should be taken into account.

On December 12th, the Russian Constitution Day is celebrated. Are you aware of the content of the Russian Constitution and its basic provisions? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2009

2012

2013

2016

Yes I am well aware of the basic provisions of the Russian Constitution

16

18

14

8

I have a general view of the basic provisions of the Russian Constitution

57

59

64

64

I have no idea about the content of the Russian Constitution

24

22

20

26

Don’t know

3

1

2

2

Constitution Awareness Index

49

55

58

46


In your opinion, what role does the Constitution play today in Russia? (closed-ended question, one answer, %)

 

2013

2016

It plays an important role; it maintains order in the country  and defines citizens’ rights and freedoms

35

34

It plays an unimportant role

35

32

It does not play any role at all; the Constitution exists only on paper and in reality its provisions are not observed

22

27

Don’t know

8

7


What basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution are the most important to you?

 (closed-ended question, not more than 7 answers, %)

 

2003

2004

2005

2009 г

2013

2016

Health protection

40

47

43

51

49

49

Right to housing

32

38

39

43

40

46

Right to life

45

49

52

61

56

46

Right to labor

45

49

54

51

47

44

Right to education

23

29

30

30

30

44

Right to social security (in case of old age, illness, et cet.)

33

40

37

38

31

36

Right to liberty and personal security

37

40

44

54

51

32

Protection of individual rights and freedoms including judicial  protection

16

20

25

28

23

32

Right to leisure

31

38

39

40

37

31

Freedom of thought and speech

19

17

22

32

32

29

Right to mother tongue

10

11

15

23

19

22

Freedom from interference with privacy

24

25

26

32

32

22

Private property and entrepreneurship rights

13

16

17

19

16

20

Freedom of movement within the country and abroad

9

12

12

15

16

18

Freedom of conscience and religion

8

7

8

12

11

14

Right to elect and be elected

6

10

10

13

14

13

Right to participate in public and political life  

5

6

9

12

11

10

Freedom of associations and unions

3

2

3

5

7

4

I haven’t thought much about it

8

7

8

5

7

6

In your opinion, what rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution are most often violated in Russia?

 (closed-ended question, not more than 7 answers, %)

 

2010

2013

2016

Health protection

38

30

34

Right to labor

18

27

30

Right to housing

35

24

29

Right to social security (in case of old age, illness, et cet.)

20

21

28

Protection of individual rights and freedoms including judicial  protection

16

20

26

Right to education

32

23

24

Freedom of thought and speech

14

17

21

Right to liberty and personal security

19

26

21

Freedom from interference with privacy

13

19

20

Private property and entrepreneurship rights

9

11

17

Right to leisure

21

18

16

Right to life

18

16

12

Right to elect and be elected

9

9

8

Freedom of conscience and religion

15

5

8

Right to participate in public and political life 

16

8

7

Freedom of movement within the country and abroad

10

7

7

Freedom of associations and unions

8

6

5

Right to mother tongue

9

6

4

None of them are violated

7

6

7

I haven’t thought much about it

14

17

13

Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!

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