Authors

• Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA)

Keywords

European Union, European economic and monetary union, European integration, NATO, defence and state security policy, economic integration, political awareness, single European currency

Abstract

The survey charted Finnish public opinion on the country's European Union membership, potential NATO membership, defense policy, relations with other countries, EU decision-making, European integration, and the financial and economic crisis.

First, the respondents were asked how interested they were in matters related to the EU and Finnish EU membership, and how well informed they were of these issue. The survey carried a large number of statements relating to the EU membership, decision-making in the EU, Finland's role and policy in the EU, European integration and defence policy, European Monetary Union (EMU), the financial and economic crisis and Finnish policies on the issue. Other statements related to environmental policy, climate change, Finland's foreign policy, potential NATO membership, cooperation with other Nordic countries, relations with Russia, immigration and its effects, and national and European identity. The respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with these statements.

The respondents were asked how likely and how desirable certain scenarios were in the EU, for instance, that the EU would disintegrate or the weakest countries would leave the eurozone. Views were probed on the impact of the single currency. One question focused on perceptions of the EU ('democratic', 'bureaucratic' etc). Opinions were charted on Finland's EU membership, transfer to the single currency and bailout policy to aid EU countries in financial difficulties. The respondents were also asked whether the euro and EMU membership benefited or harmed Finland at the time of the financial crisis and whether their attitude towards the EU membership had become more critical or favourable.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, age, basic and vocational education, economic activity and occupational status, industry of employment, region of residence (NUTS), type of neighbourhood, membership in a federation of trade unions, self-perceived social class, and the candidate of which party R would vote for if parliamentary elections were held at that moment.