Authors

• Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA)

Keywords

European Union, European integration, decision making, democracy, foreign policy, globalization, immigration, local government services, occupational life, parliamentary elections, political systems, political systems, primary education, refugees

Abstract

The survey charted the values and attitudes of Finnish people. The main themes of the 2017 survey included the Finnish basic education system, municipal services and how they are provided, economic differences between population groups, the Finnish political system, social security, democracy, globalisation, Finnish foreign policy, and the EU and eurozone.

First, the respondents were asked to what extent they agreed with a large number of statements relating to, for instance, political parties and the political system, globalisation, education, employment, economic growth and markets, municipalities, taxation, changes in society, immigration and refugees, social security, the EU, and NATO membership.

The respondents' opinions on municipalities' duties were charted by asking which services should be provided by the public sector, which services should be provided by the private sector or in cooperation with the private sector. These services included day care, education, and street and road maintenance, among other things. Opinions on municipal tax and its effect on services provided by the municipality were also investigated. Views on basic education were probed by asking which things schools should teach and what subjects could be taught less. Views on immigration were charted in light of the current refugee crisis.

The respondents' opinions on democracy and different political systems were investigated by asking how important they felt it was to live in a democratic country, and by asking them to evaluate different political systems. Furthermore, the respondents were presented made-up political parties with extreme views, and asked how likely they were to vote for the party in the next parliamentary elections if such party existed. The potential future developments of the EU and the EMU that the respondents hoped to see happen in the following 10 years were surveyed (e.g. Brexit being cancelled, dissolution of the EU, Finland quitting the euro, the development of the EU into a federation).

Further questions relating to the European Union were asked, charting opinions on Finland's EU membership and the currency change to the euro. The respondents were also asked whether the EMU membership and the euro were advantageous or disadvantageous to Finland in the economic situation at the time of the survey, and whether the respondents would have voted for or against Finland's EU membership if a referendum had been held at the time of responding. The respondents were also asked about the impacts they felt Donald Trump would have as the president of the USA. Lastly, the respondents were presented with a list of influencers of current society and asked whether they thought these influencers had too much, enough, or not enough power in Finland.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, region of residence (NUTS3), basic and vocational education, economic activity and occupational status, household size and composition, household gross income, working time, industry of employment, political party choice if parliamentary elections were held at the time of survey, membership in a trade union, self-perceived social class, and number of inhabitants in the municipality of residence.