Results of our studies

MOSCOW, July 23, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information concerning how much Russians trust the different branches of political power and its different levels.

Two thirds of Russians (64%) trust the executive power, whereas one fourth of the respondents do not (25%), 11% find it difficult to estimate their attitude to the issue. Less than one half of respondents have confidence in the legislative and judicial branches - 43%-45%, nearly as many respondents do not trust them - 40%-41%.

The confidence of respondents in the federal government (67%) is considerably higher than that to regional authorities (49%) and that to local government (43%). Confidence that 43% of the respondents gave to the local authority is levelled by the distrust of 42% of respondents. The respondents are more favorably disposed to the regional authorities (49% against 35%), and still better disposed to the federal government (67% against 22%).

Russians trust the legislators of different level almost to the same extend. Only one third of Russians (33%) express confidence in the Federal Assembly, half of the respondents (50%) distrust it; 17% find it difficult to express their attitude to the parliament. Russians manifest the same degree of confidence (33%) to the legislative assemblies of the constituent entities of the Federation; the level of distrust to the regional parliaments is somewhat lower and amounts to 44%, the share of those who find it difficult to provide an answer is higher - 24%. The attitude to the representative organs of the local government is similar, 30% of the respondents trust them, 46% do not, 23% find it difficult to provide an answer to the question.

Russians have more confidence in federal judicial power, regional judiciary causes trust and distrust in the equal measure, local judiciary is more likely to cause distrust. Half of Russians (49%) trusts the court of last resort, 38% have confidence in regional courts, 34% in local ones. 31% of the respondents have no confidence in the federal judicial power, 40% in the territorial and the regional, 45% in the city and the district ones.

The All-Russia opinion polls were conducted by VCIOM in May 26-27 and June 30, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed each of these times in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.

 

To what extend do you trust the following governing institutions?

 

The legislative power (The State Duma and Federation Council, deputies of the legislative assemblies)

The executive power (The President and the Government, Heads of regions)

The judicial power (Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Supreme Arbitration Court, regional courts, district courts)

I totally trust it

9

15

11

I more likely trust it

36

49

32

I more likely do not trust it

32

18

27

I do not trust it at all

9

7

13

Hard to say

14

11

17

To what extend do you trust the following levels of political power?

 

Federal government (The President, the Government, the Federal Assembly, the Supreme Court),

Institutions of power in your region (the governor/ the head of the republic, regional government, regional legislative assembly, regional courts)

Institutions of power in your city/ district (head of administration/ mayor, city/district duma, city/ district court)

I totally trust it

19

11

11

I more likely trust it

48

38

32

I more likely do not trust it

16

27

30

I do not trust it at all

6

8

12

Hard to say

11

16

15

To what extend do you trust the following institutions of legislative power?

 

The State Duma and Federation Council

The legislative assembly in our region

Our city/ district duma

I totally trust it

7

7

6

I more likely trust it

26

26

24

I more likely do not trust it

33

31

31

I do not trust it at all

17

13

15

Hard to say

17

23

24

To what extend do you trust the following institutions of judicial power?

 

Federal judiciary

Our regional court

Our city/ district court

I totally trust it

11

8

7

I more likely trust it

38

30

27

I more likely do not trust it

21

27

28

I do not trust it at all

10

13

17

Hard to say

20

22

21


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