Authors

• Gallup Finland

Keywords

elections, local government elections, parliamentary elections, political attitudes, political parties, political support, public debt, social services, voting behaviour

Abstract

The survey studied Finnish attitudes towards various political parties. The respondents were asked how favourably or negatively they view the Centre Party of Finland, the Finnish Social Democratic Party, the National Coalition Party, the Left Alliance and the Green League. In addition, a host of attributes or qualities were listed and the respondents were asked to which party they could be applicable. Opinions on government performance and the significance of the party leader to the party were assessed. There were several questions about voting behaviour. The respondents were asked for what political party they would be tempted to vote, and why, if the parliamentary elections were held at that time. Further questions asked whether the respondents intended to vote in the forthcoming parliamentary elections, whether they would vote in advance or on the actual election day, and when they will decide for whom to vote. Furthermore, the respondents were asked for what party or group did they vote for in the 1992 municipal elections and in the 1991 parliamentary elections. The survey also carried a number of statements relating to society, national economy, political decision-making, political parties, social services, government composition, and the respondents were asked whether they agreed. One topic pertained to whether the respondents took care of domestic responsibilities like buying groceries or cooking in the household.

Background variables included, among others, the respondent's year of birth, gender, marital status, age group, number and age of children, annual gross income of the household, type of municipality of residence, province of residence, basic and vocational education, main economic activity, weekly working hours, employer type, trade union membership, left-right political self-placement, self-perceived social class, and mother tongue.