Vox Populi

Will you vote in December’s Duma elections? Whom will you support?*

Maxim, 30

jeweler

No, I won’t go to vote. Why the hell would I do that? What good would that do to me or to anyone? They are all thieves anyway.

Vladimir, 39

journalist

I will vote for Yabloko, because I have observed them for many years and they seem to be the most consistent and efficient party. I think in the last five years the influence of the Duma on Russian politics has decreased dramatically. This is because the president’s vertical of power has become stronger, while the level of democracy in our society has decreased. And all this is because a person from the KGB has come to power and has brought his team along.

Lyudmila, 46

kvas seller

Yes, I will go to vote. For which party? This I haven’t decided yet. I don’t know much about parties. Maybe for Unified Russia. Why? Well, it’s hard to say. Or maybe for Yabloko. Because Yavlinsky is kind of nice. They are sort of closer to the needs of ordinary people. But then they haven’t got as many resources as Unified Russia. They aren’t as powerful. Why is Unified Russia so powerful? Well, maybe because they are closer to the president. So it’s hard to decide between the two. Anyway, all those parties, none of them do anything for the people. You know, I have a higher [college or university] education, but here I am selling kvas in the street. Because in this society I am too old to be considered good for anything else. To get a good job, you probably need to be young. And maybe you need to have long legs. God knows what one needs to succeed these days. But it is the people themselves who choose those politicians. One gets what one deserves.

Volodya, 37

mechanic

Of course, I will go vote. Who will I vote for? Well, this I have not decided yet. How do I decide? Well, I’ll watch television, you know, will read the papers … Oh, who the hell needs this Duma. It doesn’t do anything. So what, I told you I’ll go and vote. I told you that just in case, you know. Of course, I won’t go to vote. What’s the use? I am too busy. I need to work. I have a big family. Someone will always need to screw in bolts, under the Whites or under the Reds or under anyone. So I will always be busy.

Lyudmila, 55

(with Tony)

pensioner

(supplements her R2,000  pension by working as a freelance administrator)

I will not go to vote for anyone. All my life I have worked earnestly and voted in earnest. I supported Gorbachev, Yeltsin. And so what? For Communists? No, never. Communists are the worst. Just look at Zyuganov’s mug. Zhirinovsky entertains us at least. I don’t feel sorry for us, the old. We’ve lived our life. I feel sorry for the young. How will they live in such a country? I am not pessimistic. I have a son, he works for a bank, and a daughter-in-law and a grandson. And I hope they have a better future. But vote for the Duma – no, never. This is useless.

* A random, non-scientific poll conducted by Lina Rozovskaya during the first week of August, 2003, in Moscow.