A relative majority of Russians believe that Russians abroad should be loyal towards Russia.
MOSCOW, November 27, 2014. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the information concerning the public opinion about the ties between Russia and Russians who moved permanently abroad.
Every second respondent (50%) believes that Russians who moved permanently abroad must support Russia in any issues. Those who think so are elderly respondents (57% of those aged over 60), respondents with elementary level of education (56%) and rural area residents (55%). On the contrary, one-third of respondents (36%) believe that Russians are not necessarily obliged to be loyal towards Russia (43% of 18-24-year-old Russians).
The question whether it is acceptable for Russians living abroad to support local authorities if their actions contradict Russia`s interests is disputable. Thirty-nine percent of respondents think it is not wrong; they are mainly those who graduated from the universities (41%) and who are active Internet users (45%) rather than respondents with low level of education (19%) or those who use the Internet very rarely (31%). At the same time, 45% of respondents oppose that (62% of Russians with elementary level of education; 53% of elderly respondents).
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted on June 28-29, 2014. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 130 communities in 42 regions of Russia. Data are weighted by gender, age, education, working status and type of settlement. The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Which of the following statements do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Russians who moved permanently abroad should support Russia in any issues | 50 | 40 | 49 | 50 | 50 | 57 |
Russians who moved permanently abroad are not necessarily obliged to support Russia in any issues | 36 | 43 | 38 | 41 | 36 | 26 |
Don`t know | 14 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 15 | 18 |
Which of the following statements do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||
| Total respondents | Elementary (incomplete secondary) education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institute), higher education |
Russians who moved permanently abroad should support Russia in any issues | 50 | 57 | 49 | 50 | 49 |
Russians who moved permanently abroad are not necessarily obliged to support Russia in any issues | 36 | 25 | 36 | 37 | 37 |
Don`t know | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
In your opinion, is it acceptable for Russians living in countries other than Russia to support the initiatives of local authorities that comply with national interest of these states and contradict Russia`s interests, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St.Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
Rather acceptable | 39 | 36 | 50 | 31 | 46 | 38 | 33 |
Rather not acceptable | 45 | 34 | 27 | 49 | 45 | 49 | 52 |
Don`t know | 16 | 30 | 23 | 20 | 9 | 13 | 14 |
In your opinion, is it acceptable for Russians living in countries other than Russia to support the initiatives of local authorities that comply with national interest of these states and contradict Russia`s interests, or not? (closed-ended question, one answer) | |||||
| Total respondents | Elementary (incomplete secondary) education | Secondary education (school, vocational school) | Specialized secondary education (technical school) | Incomplete higher (not less than three years in a higher education institute), higher education |
Rather acceptable | 39 | 19 | 37 | 40 | 41 |
Rather not acceptable | 45 | 62 | 46 | 46 | 42 |
Don`t know | 16 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 17 |
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!