MOSCOW, December 29, 2020. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of a survey describing what Russians await and are afraid of in 2021.
Forty-two percent of Russians believe that 2021 will be better than 2020 (those are mainly Russians aged 60 and older (49%)). Thirty-five percent say it will be neither better nor worse; 16% are pessimistic about the upcoming year and wait for the worse things to happen.
Basic positive expectations from 2021 include: improvements in the situation related to the pandemic and victory over the COVID-19 (21%), economic development and recovery (9%), increase in salaries (7%), price decrease (6%), and pension increase (6%). Negative changes might be price increase (15%), fall in living standards (11%), and failure to control the pandemic (9%).
Russian nationwide VCIOM-Sputnik survey was conducted on December 25, 2020. Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,600 Russians aged 18 and older. Stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of Russian landline and mobile phone numbers was used. 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 to the wording of questions and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
In your opinion, will the upcoming year be better or worse for Russia than 2020? (closed-ended question, one answer, % of total respondents) | ||||||||
| Total | Men | Women | Aged 18-24 | 25-34 | 35-44 | 45-59 | 60 + |
It will be better | 42 | 40 | 43 | 39 | 43 | 34 | 40 | 49 |
It will be worse | 16 | 22 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 12 |
Neither better nor worse | 35 | 31 | 39 | 37 | 36 | 43 | 33 | 32 |
Don’t know | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 7 |
In your opinion, what positive changes may happen in Russia next year? Several answers can be cited (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of total respondents; shown are answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
| Total |
Improvements in the coronavirus situation / end of the pandemic / victory over the virus | 21 |
Economic development / a way out of the crisis / US dollar decline / ruble strengthening | 9 |
Salary increase | 7 |
Price decline / price control / inflation rate | 6 |
Increase in pensions / indexation of pensions for working senior citizens | 6 |
Increase in living standards / well-being | 5 |
Lifting of restrictions / end of lockdown / opening of borders | 5 |
Unemployment decline / more jobs | 5 |
Improvements in health care / free, available health services | 5 |
COVID-19 vaccine / vaccination | 3 |
Foreign policy / improvements in the international arena / lifting of sanctions | 3 |
Pension reform / lower retirement age / care for the retired persons | 3 |
Social policies / bonuses / benefits | 3 |
Improvements in education / cancellation of Unified State Exam / free education | 2 |
Change of power / president’s resignation / fewer seats for the United Russia party | 2 |
Industrial and agricultural revival / construction of plans and factories / import substitution / production scale-up | 2 |
Good changes / stability / it will be better (no precision) | 2 |
Decline in utility tariffs | 2 |
Improvement in domestic policy / country’s development | 2 |
Peace on earth | 2 |
Revival in SME sector / support for entrepreneurs | 2 |
Other | 18 |
Don’t know | 38 |
In your opinion, what negative changes may happen in Russia next year? Several answers can be cited (open-ended question, up to 3 answers, % of total respondents; shown are answers of at least 2% of respondents) | |
| Total |
Price increase / inflation | 15 |
Fall in living standards / people’s impoverishment / no increase in pensions, salaries | 11 |
Pandemic / failure to gain victory over the COVID-19 / new wave of pandemic | 9 |
Unemployment / unemployment level increase | 6 |
Economic crisis / economic fall / economic problems | 4 |
Ruble exchange rate / ruble’s devaluation / rise in dollar exchange rate / ruble’s depreciation | 4 |
Increase in utility tariffs | 3 |
Riots / demonstrations / people’s discontent / increase in protest activity | 3 |
Military conflicts | 3 |
Foreign policy / deterioration of the international situation | 3 |
Problems in health care / worsening of the quality of healthcare services | 2 |
Sanctions / intensification of sanctions / introduction of new sanctions | 2 |
Tax increase / introduction of new taxes / increase in tax burden | 2 |
Coronavirus-related restrictions will not be lifted / further lockdown / new restrictions | 2 |
Restrictions of human rights and freedoms / repressive laws / political repressions / prosecution | 2 |
New diseases / new viruses | 2 |
Population decline / increase in death rates / decline in birth rates | 1 |
Other | 24 |
Don’t know | 44 |
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.