VTsIOM: 64% of Russians want to see the state secular

VTsIOM poll results: the majority of Russians are in favor of maintaining the principle of secularism of the state and considers religion a private matter.

June 24, 2015 All-Russian Center for the Study of Public opinions published the results of the survey "Church and Society: Together or Separate?", held in May 2015.

64% of respondents supported the current provision of the Constitution on secularism of the state (in 2007, only 54% shared this point of view). The number of those who would like the state to have a religious component, with 2007 decreased from 17 to 10%. The number of people who want to see in Russia any religion as state remains almost unchanged: 12% against 13% in 2007.

32% of respondents (27% in 2009) are sure that churches one should confine oneself to the problems of faith and religion, without interfering in politics. More 47% (in 2009 - 43%) agree on the influence of the church on public morality, but do not to participate in political life. The number of supporters of the active participation of the church in public affairs for six years decreased from 17 to 14%.

Almost half of the respondents - 47% believe that the church builds relations with society and the state exactly as it should be. 18% each are convinced that it has an insufficient impact on the life of society or, on the contrary, it interferes too actively in state affairs.

More than half of the survey participants - 57% prefer to live in a country where religion is a private matter and does not affect public life.

The study interviewed 1,600 people in 130 settlements.

Sources

• Church and society: together or apart? // VTsIOM website. 2015. June 24.