Most Russians say politics makes them feel “depressed” – poll

(Interfax -MOSCOW, Aug 17, 2013)  Most Russians – 59% – say politics makes them feel “depressed,” and a lot of them – 51% – admit that they do not quite understand all political intrigues, as is evident from a nationwide poll of 1,600 respondents the Levada Center public opinion survey service conducted in 130 communities of 45 Russian regions at the end of July.

The number of Russians who find it difficult to grasp political processes ongoing in the country has grown by three percentage points in the past three years, and the number of those whom politics makes feel depressed has grown to 59% from 47% in 2010, the poll showed.

Only 31% of Russians are interested in politics, and 42% claim they understand contemporary political realities well enough.

An overwhelming majority of those polled – 80% – agreed that modern politicians are mostly seeking to gain or retain power rather than meet their voters’ expectations, and only 13% hold the opposite view.

Just as a year ago, some two thirds of Russians – 64% – say they can freely express their attitude toward politics pursued by the Russian leadership, 11% say they cannot, and 21% do not feel the need for this.

Most Russians – from 55% to 60% – have been holding the view in the past three years that “the government should be put under society’s control,” while 31% to 35% believe the government should have stronger powers.