This survey took place between September 20–26, 2018 and was conducted throughout all of Russia in both urban and rural settings. The survey was carried out among 1600 people over the age of 18 in 136 localities of 52 of the country’s regions. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The answer distribution is presented as percentages of the number of participants along with data from previous surveys.
The statistical error of these studies for a selection of 1600 people (with a probability of 0.95) does not exceed:
3.4% for indicators around 50%
2.9% for indicators around 25%/75%
2.0% for indicators around 10%/90%
1.5% for indicators around 5%/95%
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR MEN TO 65? (one answer)
| Feb. 98 | Oct. 06 | Oct. 09 | Feb. 15 | Jun. 13 | Sep. 18 | |
| Very positive | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Mostly positive | 4 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 9 |
| Mostly negative | 24 | 23 | 28 | 29 | 19 | 22 |
| Very negative | 66 | 61 | 55 | 50 | 70 | 63 |
| It is difficult to say | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO RAISE THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR WOMEN TO 60? (one answer)
| Feb. 98 | Oct. 06 | Oct. 09 | Feb. 15 | Jun. 13* | Sep. 18 | |
| Very positive | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Mostly positive | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 7 |
| Mostly negative | 22 | 21 | 28 | 30 | 17 | 22 |
| Very negative | 69 | 63 | 57 | 51 | 73 | 66 |
| It is difficult to say | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
* In June 2018, the question about raising the retirement age for women had the retirement age written as 63 in accordance with the first version of the bill (the survey was carried out until Vladimir Putin announced the lowering of the retirement age for women to 60).
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE CONTENT OF VLADIMIR PUTIN’S ADDRESS ON AUGUST 29 CONCERNING THE ADJUSTMENT OF PENSION REFORM? (as a percentage of all people surveyed; one answer)
| Sep. 18 | |
| Watched it on TV, listened to it on the radio in its entirety or almost in its entirety | 39 |
| Familiar with it from the summaries given by the papers, by the news on TV | 18 |
| Heard something about it | 21 |
| Have not heard anything about this | 22 |
DO YOU THINK VLADIMIR PUTIN’S PROPOSALS IMPROVE, WORSEN, OR HAVE NO EFFECT ON THE INITIAL PENSION REFORM PLAN? (as a percentage of people familiar with the address; one answer)
| Sep. 18 | |
| Considerably improve | 4 |
| Likely improve | 25 |
| Likely worsen | 16 |
| Considerably worsen | 9 |
| No effect on the reform plan | 39 |
| It is difficult to say | 7 |
HAS YOUR OPINION OF VLADIMIR PUTIN CHANGED AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS ON PENSION REFORM? IF SO, HOW DID IT CHANGE? (as a percentage of those familiar with the address; one answer)
| Sep. 18 | |
| I have a better opinion of him now | 7 |
| I have a worse opinion of him now | 34 |
| My opinion hasn’t changed | 57 |
| It is difficult to say | 2 |
HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY STRIKES, PROTESTS, RALLIES OR PICKETING IN THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS IN YOUR CITY/REGION? IF YOU HAVE, HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THEM? (respondents were presented with a card from which they could choose more than one answer; ranked in descending order according to September 2018)
| Mar. 18 | Jul. 98 | Sep. 18 | |
| No, I haven’t noticed such events | 88 | 74 | 69 |
| Yes, I have noticed such events and learned about them from local media (local newspapers, radio, TV programs, internet resources) | 4 | 10 | 12 |
| Yes, I have noticed such events and heard about them from family, friends and acquaintances | 3 | 9 | 11 |
| Yes, I have noticed such events and learned about them from social media posts by eye-witnesses and participants | 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Yes, I have noticed such events and learned about them from state-run media (Russia-wide newspapers, central TV channels, radio stations, major Internet resources) | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Yes, I personally saw/participated in them | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Other | <1 | 1 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 4 | 2 | 1 |
IF A DEMONSTRATION AGAINST PENSION REFORM IS HELD IN YOUR CITY/RURAL AREA, WILL YOU PARTICIPATE OR NOT? (one answer)
| Jul. 98 | Aug. 18 | Sep. 18 | |
| I most likely would | 37 | 53 | 35 |
| I most likely would not | 53 | 42 | 60 |
| It is difficult to say | 9 | 5 | 5 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).
The ANO Levada Center has been forcibly included in the registry of non-commercial organizations acting as foreign agents. Read the Director of the Levada Center’s statement of disagreement with this decision here.