Interfax: Poll: Most Russians not ready to join protests

(Interfax – March 14, 2016)

Seventy percent of Russians have called unlikely mass protests against falling living standards and in defense of their rights, yet the percentage has reduced by seven points since October 2015 (77 percent), the Levada Center told Interfax.

The share of Russians who deem economic protests to be possible has grown by a third, from 18 percent in October to 24 percent now, the sociologists said, referring to a poll of 1,600 respondents in 137 populated localities in 48 regions on February 19-24.

Some 16 percent of respondents are ready to join such demonstrations (compared to 11 percent in October), but an overwhelming majority (77 percent vs. 83 percent) are not ready to do so.

The share of respondents who think that political protests are possible has grown, from 14 percent in October to 18 percent now. A total of 77 percent of respondents said they were unlikely (81 percent in October).

Twelve percent of respondents are ready to participate in political protests (8 percent in October), but 81 percent are not going to join such demonstrations and rallies (85 percent in October).

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