Majority of Russians happy with what they’ve got, poll says

(Interfax – June 21, 2013) A total of 76 per cent of Russians say they are happy about the life they lead at present, while a mere 8 per cent complain “they still cannot adapt themselves to the current state of affairs”, private-owned Russian news agency Interfax reported on 19 June, quoting the latest Levada Centre opinion poll. The poll was conducted in late May among 1,600 people aged 18 and over in 130 population centres in 45 regions of Russia.

One quarter of respondents, 25 per cent, claim they “are living the way they used to, and nothing much has changed for them”, while 9 per cent of those polled “have succeeded in using the emerging opportunities to achieve more in life”, the poll showed. However, there are quite a few of those, 33 per cent in all, who have to “run round in small circles, grab any chance to earn one’s living to provide a decent living for themselves and their families”.

Asked to assess their current financial standing, two thirds of those polled, 61 per cent, said that over the past 12 months it had not changed, while 15 per cent said their financial standing had even enhanced; however, one in five people, 21 per cent, claimed it had changed for the worse, sociologists said.

Commenting on expectations for the future, 15 per cent said their living conditions would improve in a year’s time, while another 15 per cent were sceptical. More than half of those polled, 57 per cent, do not expect any unpleasant surprises.

In economic terms, the forecast for the next 12 months looks positive in general: a mere 4 per cent of those polled predict recession and 14 per cent – exacerbation of the situation, while a majority of respondents, 70 per cent in all, believe in stability and even expect a turn for the better, sociologists said.

Given that, 40 per cent of those polled claim that the country is moving along the correct route, but approximately the same number of people, 40 per cent, beg to differ.

On another note, the majority of those polled would take part in the presidential election were it to take part on coming Sunday, although 16 per cent would vote with their feet. President Vladimir Putin is still enjoying generous support of the Russian people – 32 per cent would be prepared to vote for him. Communist leader Gennadiy Zyuganov could gain 7 per cent of votes, while Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) leader Vladimir Zhirinovskiy could collect 3 per cent of votes. Other leaders could collect less than 2 per cent each, the results of the poll showed. However, one quarter of respondents, 25 per cent, are not sure who they would vote for, and 12 per cent are still speculating.

Incidentally, One Russia (United Russia) would win a victory at a hypothetical election to the State Duma on a coming Sunday. The Communist Party would come second with its 12 per cent, LDPR would collect 6 per cent of votes and come third, while A Just Russia would collect 5 per cent of votes. Other parties would receive about 2 per cent of votes each, while one fifth of Russians, 20 per cent, would not go to polling stations at all.