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The Russians have a pessimistic attitude to life, but this will not affect the election returns

Levada Center Deputy Director cited by the newspaper noted that the expectations for the next 12 years are more optimistic than the actual assessments of the past 12 years

MOSCOW, October 21 (Itar-Tass) — In late September the Levada Center conducted a sociological survey on changes in the life of the Russians for the last 12 years, the Vedomosti writes. Most respondents stated that the situation worsened in moral values and culture (63%), education, health care systems and the housing and utilities sector (61%), employment and remuneration (59%), social security (53%), life security and legal security (51%), administration system and law observance (45%) and the life level of most people (47%).

Russian citizens, which were questioned in a public opinion poll, admitted some improvement only in two spheres: Russia’s situation on the international scene and in the relations with neighboring countries (43% and 36%, respectively). The North Caucasus situation, the situation in the freedom of speech and human rights in Russia, as well as the life level in the families of respondents remained unchanged for the last 12 years, according to the relative majority of pollsters.

In the future Russian citizens also do not expect any improvement, just probably in the relations with other countries. In other spheres from 34% to 47% believe that no changes can be expected.

Levada Center Deputy Director Alexei Grazhdankin cited by the newspaper noted that the expectations for the next 12 years are more optimistic than the actual assessments of the past 12 years. Russian citizens expect that they will live better, though they consider the prospects for the country vague in general. A growing irritation is linked not with a direct deterioration of the situation, but with the tiredness from politics and the lack of prospects.

The dissatisfaction does not lie in the political dimension and does not affect the election returns, a political scientist Rostislav Turovsky believes. Russia has a low level of society organization, the society structure is individualistic, therefore, no protests can be expected.

A political scientist Mikhail Vinogradov said that the growth of negative assessments affects Putin’s rating, but however the sympathies to the opposition do not grow and the political alignment in the country remains stable in general. The expectations of no changes show the recognition of stagnation in the country, the expert underlined.

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