Study title

Parliamentary Elections 2007: Candidate Responses to YLE Candidate Selector

Dataset ID Number

FSD2286

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2286

Data Type

Quantitative

Authors

• Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE)

Other Identification/Acknowledgements

• TietoEnator Oyj
• Twinkle Oy

Abstract

The data consist of responses given by parliamentary candidates to YLE (Finland's national public service broadcasting company) candidate selector.

Some questions pertained to working life. The respondents gave their views on short-term work, terms of employment, redundancies, and on the workplace representatives' right to obtain the employees' wage information. Opinions were also queried on citizen wages, pension increases, and on restraining the growing income disparity.

In view of taxation, the respondents' opinions were charted on whether public services should be improved or taxes lowered, whether taxation should be directed to the running costs of car instead of its purchase price, and whether the tax money should be directed to public health care only instead of subsidising those who visit private doctors.

The respondents' views were canvassed on whether the state should have a tighter control over how municipalities use the government subsidies allocated for social and health services and education, and whether all services should remain available both in Finnish and Swedish after the municipal reform, even if it would cost more than before.

Related to families and children, the respondents were asked whether persons with a large income should be disqualified from receiving child benefits, and whether children should be entitled to full-time child day care if one of their parents is at home in the daytime. Views on classes and special schools for talented children were also queried.

The respondents also gave their views on whether domestic violence cases should always be taken to court instead of conciliation. In view of the status of students, the respondents gave their views on taking a study loan to improve one's living conditions. Further questions probed the respondents' opinions on whether right to mortgage interest deduction should be limited only to first-time homebuyers, and whether the migration to the Helsinki area should be constrained by moving public administration jobs elsewhere.

In addition, views were probed on building the sixth nuclear power plant, curbing climate change, Finland's possible NATO membership, preserving Finland's defensive preparedness at the current level, and shortening the length of non-military service. Some questions canvassed the respondents' attitudes to the Government's EU policy and the state's role in controlling the economic life. The respondents were also asked who would be suitable to be the next prime minister, and what would be the best government base.

The questionnaire also included three separate questions for each electoral district. These questions covered topical issues.

Keywords

economic policy; electoral issues; employment; environment policy; family policy; national policy; parliamentary candidates; parliamentary elections; public services; social policy; taxation

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Elections (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (C) available only for research including master's theses.

Data Collector

• Finnish Broadcasting Company

Data Producers

• Finnish Broadcasting Company

Time Period Covered

2007

Collection Dates

2007-01 – 2007-02

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

Parliamentary candidates in the 2007 parliamentary elections in Finland

Time Method

Cross-section

Data Sources

Candidate selector on the YLE web pages (http://www.yle.fi/vaalikone). Information on the elected candidates was retrieved from the Parliament's web pages.

Sampling Procedure

Total universe/Complete enumeration

Collection Mode

Self-administered questionnaire: Web-based (CAWI)

Research Instrument

Structured questionnaire

Data File Language

Downloaded data package may contain different language versions of the same files.

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: English and Finnish.

FSD translates quantitative data into English on request, free of charge. More information on ordering data translation.

Number of Cases and Variables

156 variables and 2004 cases.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The 'painoarvo' variables include also the 'Can't say' responses. It might be justifiable to exclude these responses in some analyses.

Weighting

There are no weight variables in the data.

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE): Parliamentary Elections 2007: Candidate Responses to YLE Candidate Selector [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2008-02-11). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD2286

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

Related Publications

Vaalit yleisödemokratiassa. Eduskuntavaalitutkimus 2007 (2009). Toim. Borg, Sami & Paloheimo, Heikki. Tampere: Tampere University Press.

Reunanen, Esa & Suhonen, Pertti (2009). Kansanedustajat ideologisella kartalla. Teoksessa: Vaalit yleisödemokratiassa. Eduskuntavaalitutkimus 2007 (toim. Borg, Sami & Paloheimo, Heikki), 325-356. Tampere: Tampere University Press.

Van Camp, K., Lefevere, J., & Walgrave, S. (2014). The Content and Formulation of Statements in Voting Advice Applications: A Comparative Analysis of 26 VAAs. In D. Garzia, & S. Marchall (Eds.), Matching Voters with Parties and Candidates. Voting Advice Applications in Comparative Perspective (11-32). Colchester: ECPR Press.