Translated material
Protest test
Most Russians don't need the opposition
Almost half of Russians believe that in a normal political, social and economic situation there is no need for the existence of an opposition. Sociologists from the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM) came to this conclusion after conducting a survey in 46 regions, territories and republics of Russia in July. Analysts believe that this attitude towards opposition forces lies not only in their weakness, but also in the absence of such an element of political culture in the minds of citizens.Only 33% of Russians consider political opposition an integral attribute of real democracy. But 48% do not see the need for the existence of an opposition if the country has a normal political, social and economic situation. More often, supporters of United Russia, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the Liberal Democratic Party do not see the need for opposition if everything is in relative order in the country. Rodina voters, as a rule, spoke in favor of the need for this institution.
According to the head of the analytical department of the Center for Political Technologies, Alexei Makarkin, 48% of potential opponents of the opposition consist of two political subcultures. “In Russia there is the largest subculture that is oriented toward power,” he explained to Vremya Novostei. - This is the basis of the “presidential majority.” These people crave stability, support the current government, and want the president to remain as long as possible. The second subculture is traditionally communist. And the communists themselves always seem to be in opposition. But if a representative of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation becomes president, they will say that the opposition is not needed.”
54% of respondents believe that the task of the opposition is to point out the authorities’ mistakes, and only 29% consider such a task to be the development of an alternative course and the opposition’s coming to power . The role of the opposition is reduced exclusively to criticism of the authorities by the majority of surveyed supporters of not only United Russia, but also the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, Liberal Democratic Party and Rodina. And also 56% of those who would vote against everyone in the next elections to the State Duma. Moreover, this point of view prevails in all groups of respondents, separated by gender, age, and financial status.
The head of the analytical department of VTsIOM, Leonty Byzov, in a conversation with a Vremya Novostei correspondent, said that the attitude towards the opposition in modern Russia is ambivalent: “The opposition has greatly discredited itself. Now it is not included in the system of political culture of our population at all. People are accustomed to the fact that their needs can be satisfied by the authorities. They do not count on the opposition; it is perceived as a kind of theatrical part of political action. Even when people are dissatisfied with the regime, they turn their expectations to the president and the government. This is an element of political culture.”
Also, the reasons for distrust of the opposition, according to the sociologist, are that in recent history it has not only failed to come to power even once, but even to have a serious influence on the political process when it dominated the State Duma: “This circumstance has strengthened the prejudice of Russians towards towards the opposition. Well, the quality of the opposition itself spoils its reputation. It is perceived as something of little independence and little significance.”
Indeed, 31% of Russians believe that there is no independent and influential opposition in Russia. Only 7% hold the opposite point of view; 24% of respondents believe that our opposition is independent, but not very influential, and 14% - that it is influential, but not independent. When asked about their intentions to vote in the next elections, 43% of Russians prefer to choose the existing government. The entire opposition can count on 23% of Russians' sympathy.
Russians definitely consider only the Communist Party of the Russian Federation to be an opposition party. 61% of respondents consider her to be an opponent of the regime. The LDPR and Rodina are called opposition by 44 and 41%, respectively, and are suspected of being loyal to the authorities by 34 and 33%. The biggest doubts among citizens are the opposition of the right-wing parties - SPS and Yabloko.
“The word “opposition,” in particular, is used in the media with a negative connotation,” says Mr. Makarkin. - This is an “oligarchic”, “unconstructive”, “communist” opposition. Today the opposition is those who want to overthrow the president. People who throw tomatoes and eggs at officials are weak, conflicted and unable to put forward a positive alternative.”