They forgot to ask you

Why is the State Duma own sociological surveys, who and how much will work on their conduct and how this will increase the status of Vyacheslav Volodin, says The New Times

Photo: vesti.ru

At the first meeting of the autumn session of the State Duma, at the very beginning, the speaker Vyacheslav Volodin decided to remind the deputies that they would have to work, focusing on the results of the polls. “Let's continue working on these bills based on the priorities determined by our voters. And we will continue this form in the future, ”said Volodin. According to him, the results of the surveys testify to the priority Russians consider bills on cruelty to animals, road safety and native speakers of the Russian language. Talking about surveys on the basis of which the deputies will supposedly work began in the spring, and the initiative came from Vyacheslav Volodin. “The State Duma apparatus, together with the deputy chairman Peter Tolstoy, was given an order to negotiate and conclude agreements with a number of sociological services for important issues and resonant bills we can have an objective assessment of public opinion on a particular legislative initiative,” said Ivan Melnikov, Vice Speaker from the Communist Party.

Question interest

According to a source close to the leadership of the State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin loved to refer to hundred -bands while working in the Kremlin. “For him, there was always an supposedly popular support for some initiatives, such a pseudo democracy. Even then, there were attempts to substantiate decisions of surveys - for example, the survey was conducted regarding the conclusion of the contract with Ukraine for the supply of electricity to the Crimea. The inhabitants of the peninsula allegedly spoke out against the VTsIOM survey, agreed to tolerate while they were led by the Russian energy industry. It was this survey that Vladimir Putin referred to, explaining why he did not conclude a contract with Ukraine, ”says the interlocutor NT.

*Speech by the speaker of Vyacheslav Volodin at the first meeting of the autumn session of the State Duma. *Photo: vesti.ru

In the State Duma, Volodin continued to show interest in polls: for example, when the parliament adopted the scandalous bill of Senator Elena Mizulina on decriminalization of family beatings, the speaker said that the deputies would focus on sociological research. “We watched both the analysis and the results of sociological research, and we see that the majority of society - 59% - expressed in order not to rigidly regulate issues in such insignificant conflicts that did not cause harm to health,” he explained later. Parliamentarians adopted the law.

“People from the authorities do not expect anything good, they react to any of her steps with suspicion, and officials do not explain anything. Protests begin, as a result, the effectiveness of decisions is reduced, sometimes the initiative is generally canceled "

Now the State Duma orders his research. The tender was declared for them, its value amounted to 29.4 million rubles. There were not so many people who wanted to ask Russians for parliament - VTsIOM, Romir and the financial university under the government. The best price is 27.9 million rubles. He gave VTsIOM, who won the tender. “This completely coincided with the preferences of the speaker, who has good relations with the director of the center Valery Fedorov since the time of work in United Russia,” says one of the State Duma deputies on the terms of anonymity.

Another source recalls that the money for polls was provided for in the State Duma budget back in January, however, it was a question of the possible research only in the spring, and conducted it in the summer. “The tasks, one might say, are two. The first is quite understandable - an increase in the role of parliament, its publicity. People should not think that the Duma does not know what, prohibits Matilda and the like. The deputies are not gathering and they decide something there on their own, they consult with citizens. The summons of people and parliament should match, ”the interlocutor assures the State Duma speaker surrounded. Passes, according to him, complement the previous innovations - the organization of public public hearings on renovation, resort collection and other resonant bills. “Deputies are also set up for dialogue and work with citizens during the holidays. For example, this summer they had to work with deceived equity holders, if there are such in their region. Such an idea-people see that the authorities sees their problem, does something to solve it and may even solve it, ”says NT source.

Sociological vaccination

Another task, but the same source has a similar nature in some way-polls should warn society to any bills or initiative of the authorities. “This is not necessarily something that can potentially worsen life, on the contrary, rejection often causes quite reasonable initiatives. The authorities want to improve the situation, but cannot explain its steps, it does not know how to do this. As a result, situations arise, a vivid example of which can be called renovation: the city hall wanted the best, but it turned out as always. People from the authorities do not expect anything good, they react to any step with suspicion, and officials do not explain anything. Protests begin, as a result, the effectiveness of decisions is reduced, sometimes the initiative is completely canceled, ”the interlocutor NT complains. Polls, according to him, will have to identify “zones of misunderstanding”, hot spots in the intentions of the authorities, predict what exactly will cause rejection: “It will be easier to work with this, perhaps even a misunderstanding will be possible to eliminate.” In addition, the source does not exclude that with the help of polls it will be possible to influence the agenda of the parliament and the influence of the government on it. “The Cabinet of Ministers makes a lot of things and requires immediate consideration. But the agenda determines the council of the Duma, and on the basis of polls it will be possible to justify priorities for the government, ”he explains.

“In relations with the fractions of parliamentary parties, this gives an additional argument. In relations with the government, additional weight. In relations with the Kremlin, he adds to the chairman of the State Duma of usefulness and authority "

Whose voice?

The State Duma deputy from United Russia Olga Kazakova calls hundreds of polls “a general discussion of initiatives, such a“ direct line ”. “Of course, the State Duma is now sending bills to reviews to local parliaments, but some are not answering, and still, the initiatives are discussed by deputies, not the population,” she says. According to Kazakova, in the case of their initiatives for polls, it will be easier to defend their ideas. “Sometimes they do not find support from officials, sometimes among colleagues in the Duma - it does not matter whether this is a minority. Sometimes what is obvious to most citizens, politicians are not very clear, ”she argues.

Political scientist Konstantin Kalachev notes that for the deputies, “in the fall, the budget and the budget and the budget of socio-economic and tax bills related to the budget, the package of which is proposed by the government, therefore, the Duma will work more with its own, but with government bills”. But this does not cancel Volodin’s proposal to continue work on these and other bills, based on priorities defined by voters. The issues exciting citizens should be in the focus of the attention of the national representative office - this is the message of Volodin. “It is clear that references to voter’s requests reinforce the position of the chairman of the State Duma,” Kalachev is sure. According to the expert, the order of polls is not only interaction with the people: “State Duma already has all the mechanisms, including the possibility of supports on public opinion polls that allow the ward to ensure full interaction with the executive branch.” Volodin constantly emphasizes that the Duma is not only a legislative, but also a representative body. Actually, support and constant appeal to the opinion of voters are the implementation of representative functions. “In relations with the fractions of parliamentary parties, this gives an additional argument. In relations with the government, additional weight. In relations with the Kremlin, he adds to the chairman of the State Duma of utility and authority, ”the political scientist is sure. In addition, polls, according to Konstantin Kalachev, "emphasize the supra -party status of the State Duma speaker:" His voice, as it were, becomes the voice of the people, and vice versa. " Claims of systemic opposition parties regarding their initiatives, which could be submitted for surveys and supported by the Russians, the government of the State Duma can place or even meet them, but with some adjustment.

“They say to the people - we rely on your opinion on what you consider important. At your request we adopt laws on cats and dogs, as if nothing is more important now. "

“The Communist Party and Socialist Revolutionaries propose to introduce a progressive taxation system, the idea looks close to most Russians, populist. But few people know what a progressive system is, and they will answer questions formulated by sociologists. Answers will be received only to them. You can also formulate the question “correctly,” Kalachev explains.

A new role

In the system opposition, the idea of ​​polls does not cause much enthusiasm. The head of the legal service of the Communist Party, through which all the bills of the Communists pass, Vadim Solovyov is sure that Vyacheslav Volodin, the government and the presidential administration are trying to justify the work of the State Duma, which is of little interest to people. “They say to the people - we rely on your opinion on what you consider important. At your request, we adopt laws on cats and dogs, as if nothing more important now, ”said NT Soloviev. The Communist announced the introduction of bills on the nationalization of the Nefthegas sector, banks, and the ban on the sale of agricultural land. “Another sore spot is a social apartment, it lies at zero. We have bills on the children of war, the pension system. But the authorities will not submit all these documents for polls - they will support most citizens, according to our sociology, such initiatives support 80%, ”said Vadim Soloviev. The representative of another faction, who wished to remain anonymous, called the polls "the self -patient of the United Russia or even Volodin himself." “He is trying to identify himself as an intermediary in a dialogue of power with society. It is beneficial for him to show some hot spots, and then supposedly solve the problem. The case of renovation inspired him, now the speaker will use any opportunity, ”says the deputy.