This survey was conducted August 20–26, 2020 among a representative sample of all Russian urban and rural residents. The sample was comprised of 1601 people aged 18 or older in 137 municipalities of 50 regions of the Russian Federation. The survey was conducted as a personal interview in respondents’ homes. The distribution of answers is presented as percentages of the total number of respondents.
The statistical error of these studies for a sample 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%
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN BELARUS TOOK PLACE ON AUGUST 9, 2020. PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO WAS DECLARED TO HAVE RECEIVED 80% OF THE VOTE, AND THE OPPOSITION CANDIDATE, TIKHANOVSKAYA, RECEIVED 10%. DO YOU THINK THE ELECTIONS WERE CONDUCTED FAIRLY OR UNFAIRLY? (one answer)
| Aug 20 | |
| Totally fairly | 23 |
| Mostly fairly | 25 |
| Largely unfairly | 18 |
| Totally unfairly | 18 |
| I (We) have not heard anything about this | 3 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 |
WOULD YOU WANT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO TO REMAIN PRESIDENT OF BELARUS OR AN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE TO BECOME PRESIDENT? (one answer)
| Aug 20 | |
| Alexander Lukashenko | 57 |
| Opposition candidate | 17 |
| I do not care | 18 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 |
PROTESTS BEGAN AFTER THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. PROTESTERS BELIEVE THAT LUKASHENKO LOST AND ARE DEMANDING HIS RESIGNATION. WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TO PEOPLE WHO COME OUT TO PROTEST? (one answer)
| Aug 20 | |
| Mostly positive | 25 |
| Neutral, indifferent | 33 |
| Mostly negative | 39 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 |
FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT PROMPTED THE MASS PROTESTS IN BELARUS? (respondents could choose more than one answer; ranked in descending order)
| Aug 20 | |
| This was a foreign provocation | 39 |
| Belorussians are tired of Alexander Lukashenko’s prolonged rule | 28 |
| This was a provocation of the Belarussian opposition | 24 |
| People are upset by the falsification of election results | 23 |
| People have become increasingly discontented with the deterioration of life in the republic | 23 |
| People are upset by the cruelty of the law enforcement authorities | 17 |
| Other | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 |
AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS DISPERSED DEMONSTRATIONS, THEY USED FORCE. WITH WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING VIEWS DO YOU AGREE? (one answer)
| Aug 20 | |
| They acted within the law | 18 |
| They were rough, but this is necessary to bring order | 38 |
| They beat people and there is no justification for this | 35 |
| It is difficult to say | 9 |
IN YOUR OPINION, HOW SHOULD ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO ACT IN THESE CIRUMSTANCES? (respondents could choose one answer and/or name their own; ranked in descending order)
| Aug 20 | |
| Negotiate with protesters, find a compromise, and remain the head of state | 58 |
| Agree to negotiations with protesters concerning the transfer of power and resign | 17 |
| Suppress the protests with force and remain the head of state | 12 |
| Flee the country | 5 |
| Other | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 |
HOW DO YOU THINK ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO WILL ACT IN REALITY? (respondents could choose one answer and/or name their own)
| Aug 20 | |
| Negotiate with protesters, find a compromise, and remain the head of state | 45 |
| Suppress the protests with force and remain the head of state | 35 |
| Agree to negotiations with protesters concerning the transfer of power and resign | 4 |
| Flee the country | 4 |
| Other | <1 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 |
DISTRIBUTION OF ANSWERS IN RELATION TO HOW RESPONDENTS PERCEIVE THE OUTCOMES OF THE ELECTION AND FROM WHERE THEY GET THEIR NEWS
| From where they most often get their news | How the election went in Belarus | ||||
| TV | Friends, relatives, neighbors | Internet, social media, Telegram | Fairly | Unfairly | |
| Number of respondents | 1110 | 298 | 945 | 772 | 581 |
| DO YOU THINK THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN BELARUS WERE CONDUCTED FAIRLY OR UNFAIRLY? | |||||
| Totally fairly | 27 | 20 | 17 | ||
| Mostly fairly | 29 | 26 | 23 | ||
| Largely unfairly | 17 | 18 | 23 | ||
| Totally unfairly | 11 | 19 | 24 | ||
| I (We) have not heard anything about this | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||
| It is difficult to say | 14 | 13 | 10 | ||
| WOULD YOU WANT ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO TO REMAIN PRESIDENT OF BELARUS OR AN OPPOSITION CANDIDATE TO BECOME PRESIDENT? | |||||
| Alexander Lukashenko | 66 | 57 | 47 | 87 | 24 |
| Opposition candidate | 10 | 17 | 23 | 3 | 42 |
| I do not care | 17 | 18 | 21 | 8 | 23 |
| It is difficult to say | 7 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 11 |
| WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TO PEOPLE WHO COME OUT TO PROTEST AFTER BELARUS’S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? | |||||
| Mostly positive | 17 | 27 | 33 | 6 | 56 |
| Neutral, indifferent | 34 | 34 | 35 | 30 | 29 |
| Mostly negative | 46 | 38 | 30 | 62 | 13 |
| It is difficult to say | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| FROM YOUR POINT OF VIEW, WHAT PROMPTED THE MASS PROTESTS IN BELARUS? | |||||
| People are upset by the falsification of election results | 17 | 29 | 31 | 7 | 51 |
| People have become increasingly discontented with the deterioration of life in the republic | 20 | 27 | 28 | 15 | 36 |
| Belorussians are tired of Alexander Lukashenko’s prolonged rule | 23 | 33 | 35 | 15 | 49 |
| People are upset by the cruelty of the law enforcement authorities | 14 | 24 | 22 | 9 | 33 |
| This was a foreign provocation | 45 | 43 | 32 | 57 | 20 |
| This was a provocation of the Belarussian opposition | 27 | 26 | 23 | 36 | 12 |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
| WITH WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING VIEWS CONCERNING THE USE OF FORCE BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO DISPERSE PROTESTS IN BELARUS DO YOU AGREE? | |||||
| They acted within the law | 22 | 18 | 13 | 29 | 8 |
| They were rough, but this is necessary to bring order | 42 | 33 | 37 | 48 | 28 |
| They beat people and there is no justification for this | 27 | 39 | 43 | 18 | 61 |
| It is difficult to say | 9 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 4 |
| IN YOUR OPINION, HOW SHOULD ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO ACT IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? | |||||
| Suppress the protests with force and remain the head of state | 13 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 4 |
| Negotiate with protesters, find a compromise, and remain the head of state | 64 | 61 | 52 | 69 | 41 |
| Agree to negotiations with protesters concerning the transfer of power and resign | 11 | 18 | 23 | 4 | 39 |
| Flee the country | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 10 |
| Other | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| It is difficult to say | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 |
| HOW DO YOU THINK ALEXANDER LUKASHENKO WILL ACT IN REALITY? | |||||
| Suppress the protests with force and remain the head of state | 31 | 35 | 40 | 28 | 48 |
| Negotiate with protesters, find a compromise, and remain the head of state | 51 | 47 | 39 | 57 | 30 |
| Agree to negotiations with protesters concerning the transfer of power and resign | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 7 |
| Flee the country | 3 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 9 |
| Other | <1 | <1 | <1 | <1 | <1 |
| It is difficult to say | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 |
Translated by Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (formerly Monterey Institute of International Studies).
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