Page 35 - RusRPTNov19

25% by party lists (instead of 50/50 currently). This would require raising the
number of single-mandate electoral districts from 225 to 337, and 185 of these
districts could be in what the report’s authors describe as “protest regions” or
“regions of high competition.” This, the theory goes, could in turn make things
harder for the Kremlin-backed candidates.
2.17 Polls & Sociology
Russia's middle class accounts for 38% of the population, but sees its income decline since 2014 , RBC business portal reported on October 4 citing a study by Higher School of Economics (HSE). As reported by bne IntelliNews , other studies claimed earlier this year that Russia’s middle class has shrunk by nearly 20% since the start of the country’s economic crisis in 2014. According to the HSE, the greatest economic risks for middle class families are birth of a child or retirement. Only about 7% of Russian population comply with all the requirements of being recognised as middle class, such as higher-than-median income, own real estate, substantial savings, managerial and decision-making power, access to private healthcare, etc. Over 50% of the middle class families see their real disposable income decline in the past five years. Most of the middle class in Russia is concentrated in large cities, or 54.4% of total.
Russians trust President Vladimir Putin less than they do their armed forces, according to a new independent survey seen by the Vedomosti newspaper. The army emerged as Russia’s most trusted institution last year as a result of what sociologists called the Kremlin’s “saber-rattling.” This year’s institutional trust rating published by the independent Levada Center pollster placed Putin at 60% and the army at 63%. Trust in the Russian army has almost doubled in the last decade. The military’s high ratings come against the backdrop of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, followed by armed conflict between Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels, and intervention in the Syrian civil war in 2014 and 2015.
Russia has the world’s highest levels of wealth inequality , surpassing the United States and China, the Credit Suisse Research Institute’s annual review has said. An estimated 83% of Russia’s wealth is now owned by its richest decile despite the country’s modest average wealth, the financial services company said in its report published Monday. “This is a high level, above the figure of 76% for the United States, which has one of the most concentrated distributions of wealth among advanced nations,” the report said. “Interestingly, it is also higher than the top decile share of 60% in China.” The number of billionaires in Russia grew from 74 to 110 between mid-2018 and mid-2019, while the number of millionaires rose from 172,000 to 246,000. Credit Suisse estimated Russia’s average financial assets per person at $10,570, and its average non-financial assets at $19,530. It added that personal debt grew rapidly in 2000-2007 but slowed after, making up 9% of gross assets.
A joint survey by the Ukrainian KMIS and the Russian Levada Center found that 56% of Russian respondents are feeling positive towards Ukraine, the highest figure since March 2014. The rise is a very sharp one which started in late 2018. By contrast, Ukrainians’ feelings towards Russia have been gradually getting warmer since the lowest point in May 2015, with a
35 RUSSIA Country Report November 2019 www.intellinews.o