Elections of No Alternative
The Russians are losing interest and/or trust in elections, tending to ignore them more often. The residents of other states also have some claims to election procedures, but they don't lead to complete withdrawal from political life there.
The Ipsos poll of around 9,000 residents of eight developed states and Mexico showed that electors are rather disciplined there. Asked whether they always attend the elections, 52 percent in the U.S. and up to 73 percent in Canada gave affirmative answers.
Another illustrative feature is belief of voters in importance of their participation. As much as 92 percent of South Koreans thought his/her vote decisive. The figure was between 77 percent and 78 percent in the United States and Mexico, while Europe showed much more skeptical attitude (41 percent in Spain).
When it comes to skepticism, it is obviously growing in Russia. Past summer, for instance, only 41 percent of the polled said they regularly go to vote vs. 52 percent in 2002, Public Opinion Fund reported. Moreover, 40 percent of respondents said they attend elections not as willingly as they used to do, and 23 percent didn’t think the elections were necessary (vs. 14 percent earlier). In line with this sentiment, only 55.5 percent of electors voted at 2003 parliamentary elections vs. 64.7 percent in 1995.
“Disappointment, this is the world always pronounced when people explain their refusal to go to elections,” said Grigory Kertman from Public Opinion Fund. They say voting is nothing but a façade and elections are neither open nor honest, the analyst specified.
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All the Article in Russian as of Oct. 26, 2006
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