Since 1984, the Finnish Business and Policy Forum (EVA) has conducted surveys studying changes in Finnish attitudes, values, and perceptions of the present and the future. For related studies, see the Finnish EU Attitudes 1992-2012 series. Since 2013, EVA has not distinguished between national value and attitude surveys and EU attitude surveys. From 2018 onwards, the EVA Surveys on Finnish Values and Attitudes have been consistently biannual.
The series aims at measuring and analysing citizens' views on Finnish society. The data allow a detailed empirical analysis and systematic follow-up of change in public opinion. Each dataset contains both new themes and recurring themes with questions repeated over the years.
Themes covered include democracy, market economy, welfare, environment, society and politics, Finland's international position, economic depression, economic growth, Finnish identity, and views on the future. The surveys are funded by EVA and have usually been carried out by Yhdyskuntatutkimus and Taloustutkimus. More information on the surveys can be found on the EVA Arvopankki website (in Finnish).
The study charted Finnish people's values and attitudes. The themes of the Spring 2025 survey included security and preparedness for various threats, wellbeing services counties, healthcare, the economy, ideological perspectives, and freedom.
First, the respondents were presented with a variety of attitudinal statements concerning, among other topics, the roles of the EU and the United States, Finland's security policy, the education system, social and healthcare services, municipal service provision, and individual responsibility and freedom. In addition, questions were asked about NATO membership, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and possible peace terms related to it, future threats and preparations for them, and the desirability of various future developments was assessed.
The survey also explored the respondents' perceived influence through elections, familiarity with wellbeing services counties, and assessments of healthcare performance. Attitudes towards proposals for promoting economic growth, different economic systems and ideologies, and respondents' positions on political and value dimensions (left-right, conservative-liberal) were charted. Furthermore, the respondents evaluated the extent of freedoms in different areas of life and whether certain values and practices represented liberalism, conservatism, both, or neither.
Background variables included the respondent's gender, age group, number of inhabitants in the municipality of residence, region (NUTS3), type of employer, working hours, type of employment contract, education, economic activity and occupational status, employment sector, trade union membership, what political party R would vote for in parliamentary elections, self-perceived social class, mother tongue, minority status and annual gross income of the R's household.
A stratified random sample was drawn from among the internet panel of Taloustutkimus. 2,070 people responded to the survey. The final data were weighted at Taloustutkimus to be representative of the Finnish population with respect to age, gender, region of residence, education, occupation/occupational status, employment sector, and political party preference (which party R would vote for in national elections).
The internet panel of Taloustutkimus, randomly drawn from Finland's population register, consists of individuals aged 15-79 who have entered their demographic and sociographic information when registering to the panel and have given their consent to Taloustutkimus to invite them to participate in various surveys. Responding to any survey is voluntary and participants can leave the panel any time they want.