Most of Russians consider that state budget spending on healthcare, education and defense should not be cut. Expenditures on government officials, culture and housing and public utilities can be cut.
MOSCOW, September 19, 2016. Russian Public Opinion Research Centre (VCIOM) presents the data of the survey describing what budget items Russians think should be cut, and which ones should be preserved in the crisis.
According to Russians, state budget expenditures can be declined at the expense of the reduced spending on public administration (36% in August and 49% in January). Those who think so are residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg (42%) and other million cities (45%), as well as people with high income (49%).
Due to crisis every sixth Russian approves funding cuts in culture, cinema and mass media (18%), housing and public utilities sector (16%; every tenth – cuts in sport (9%) and healthcare (8%) funding. The share of Russians who cite other budget items that could be cut is about 4 – 7%.
Respondents show higher degrees of solidarism when asked about those budget items where cuts should be escaped even during difficult economic conditions. Half of Russians (53%) consider that healthcare funding should not be cut (59% of women; 59% of those who have higher education diplomas). One-third of respondents (31%) think that science and sport should be protected from cuts (an increase from 24% since the beginning of the year); one-fifth of respondents think that the items that should be protected from cuts are national security (22%), and housing and public utilities (18%).
The VCIOM telephone survey was carried out on August 27-28, 2016, using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of telephone numbers operating in Russia, and involved 1600 respondents. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 2.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the field work can introduce bias into the survey.
Due to economic crisis, there is a wide discussion over the government funding cuts. In your opinion, what federal budget expenditures should be cut?* (closed-ended question, not more than two answers, %) | |||||
| 2008 | 2009 | 2015 | I.2016 | VIII.2016 |
Public administration | 55 | 64 | 46 | 49 | 36 |
Culture, cinema, mass media | 11 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 18 |
Housing and public utilities | 5 | 10 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
Sport** | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
Healthcare** | 8 | ||||
Social policy | 7 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
Science and education | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
National security and law enforcement activities | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
Defense | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Environment protection | 3 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
National economy | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
Don’t know | 26 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
* From 2009 to January 2016 there were household surveys.
** Up to August 2016, the answer option was “Healthcare and sport”.
In your opinion, what federal budget items should be protected from cuts?* (closed-ended question, not more than two answers, %) | ||||
| 2009 | 2015 | I.2016 | VIII.2016 |
Healthcare** | 44 | 35 | 50 | 53 |
Sport** | 4 | |||
Science and education | 24 | 16 | 24 | 31 |
National defense | 16 | 27 | 18 | 22 |
Housing and public utilities | 21 | 16 | 13 | 18 |
National security and law enforcement activities | 10 | 15 | 10 | 13 |
Social policy | 30 | 22 | 26 | 11 |
Environment protection | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
National economy | 12 | 11 | 7 | 4 |
Culture, cinema, mass media | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
Public administration | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Don’t know | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
* From 2009 to January 2016 there were household surveys.
** Up to August 2016, the answer option was “Healthcare and sport”.
Note: Using materials from the websites 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.