MOSCOW, December 19, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information as to why Russians voted "for" or "against" "Unified Russia" in the elections to the State Duma of the Russian Federation on December 2, how they estimate the assertion that last elections were a referendum of trust towards V. Putin.
Russians who voted for "Unified Russia" on December 2 this year most frequently motivate their decision by willingness to support V. Putin (46%) and also by the fact that they like this party (32%). 15% of voters find it difficult to explain the reasons for their choice.
The main arguments against voting for "Unified Russia" were sympathy for some other party (16%), dislike for monopoly of power (11%), disagreement with the political course that "Unified Russia" pursues (9%), or certainty that this party will enjoy significant support even without their vote (8%).
Two thirds of respondents (65%) tend to agree with the assertion that last elections were a referendum of trust towards V. Putin, whereas only one fifth of respondents (19%) assume that these were just normal parliamentary elections.
Treating December 2 as a referendum of trust towards V. Putin is more characteristic of "Unified Russia" supporters (74%) than for "Fair Russia" (66%) or KPRF (54%) voters. The point of view of LDPR supporters split into two nearly equal halves: 40% treat these elections as a referendum of trust towards V. Putin, whereas 41% assume that these were just normal parliamentary elections.
The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM on December 8-9, 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.
"Unified Russia" won at the Duma elections. If you voted for it, why did you do it? (in % of those who voted for "Unified Russia") | |
I wanted to support V. Putin | 46 |
I like this party, I trust it | 32 |
I do not really like this party, but the others are still worse than that | 4 |
I wanted to vote the way all people did | 2 |
I was made to vote for it, I did not really want it too much | <1 |
Other option | <1 |
Hard to say | 15 |
If you voted against it, why did you do it? (in % of those who did not vote for "Unified Russia") | |
This is not a bad party, but I like the one that I voted for better | 16 |
I do not like this party's monopoly, its exclusive status | 11 |
I do not like this party's priorities, neither do I like the political course it is pursuing | 9 |
I thought that "Unified Russia" will gain numerous votes anyway, it can do without my vote | 8 |
I am not content with the authorities' actions in our region, I do not trust them | 4 |
I wanted to express my distrust towards V. Putin | 3 |
I do not like the party leaders of "Unified Russia" | 2 |
They had bad unamusing commercials, as well as a boring election campaign | <1 |
Other option | 3 |
Hard to say | 43 |
Some people state that last elections were a referendum of trust towards V. Putin. Others say that these were just normal parliamentary elections. Which of these points of view would you rather agree with? | |||||
| Total respondents | Political party supporters | |||
"Unified Russia" | KPRF | LDPR | "Fair Russia" | ||
I would rather agree with the first one | 65 | 74 | 54 | 40 | 66 |
I would rather agree with the second one | 19 | 14 | 28 | 41 | 20 |
Hard to say | 16 | 12 | 18 | 19 | 14 |