Representative Multi-topic Survey 2017

For the Konrad Adenauer Foundation´s Department of Politics and Consultancy, Ipsos conducted a representative multi-topic survey among the German voting population aged 18 and over. The focus of the survey was to determine opinions and attitudes on various political topics.

Topics: The future of Germany, Concerns and trust in Germany, Social and cultural identity and security: particularly important aspects of what makes us in Germany (open, three mentions); assignment of various terms rather as something good, rather as something bad or ignorance of the meaning of the term (split half, 10 terms each: Opportunity Republic of Germany, Lifelong Learning, Black Zero, Personal Responsibility, Video Surveillance, Cold Progression, Middle Class Belly, Promote and Demand, Reliable State, Security, Spousal Splitting, Guiding Culture, Strong State, Responsibility, Social Market Economy, Prosperity, Solid Finances, Tax Justice, Consolidation Course, Flexi Pension); personally most important topic (open); most important topic for Germany´s future (open); assessment of Germany´s preparation for the future based on school grades; worries about Germany and trust in Germany based on opposing statements (often fear of what will come vs. everything will be fine, if possible no change vs. further development for prosperity, see black for Germany vs. trust in Germany); respondent strongly agrees or somewhat agrees with the statement; agree with statements on social, cultural identity and security (All in all, I´m doing well, can live well on my pension, must not forget socially weaker people in Germany, own job is secure, politicians don´t think about people like me, you can live well in Germany, family is where parents take responsibility for children, people who have no right to stay here must be consistently sent back, those who want to live here must adapt to German culture, respect for each other has been lost in our society, I´m afraid that Germany will change too much because of immigration, the state has the refugee crisis under control, you can no longer say what you actually think).

Digitalisation: Attitude towards digitalisation (in Germany, digitalisation will create new jobs, endangers jobs, makes work easier, self-driving cars will increase road safety, technology has become so complicated that I often don´t know how to use it, technology will help me to continue living independently in old age, desire for more help in everyday life through technical innovations); security: Opinion on the topic of security (enforce the law much more harshly, harsher punishments for many crimes, as a woman you can no longer go out alone on the street at night, more video surveillance in public, fear chaotic conditions in Germany); open mention of the feared chaotic conditions in Germany.

Political parties and voting intention: Party (CDU/CSU, SPD, FDP, Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, Die Linke, NPD, Piratenpartei, AfD -Alternative für Deutschland, other party) to which various characteristics can most likely be assigned (Christian party, party of the centre, conservative party, solves problem, can be trusted in the future, people´s party, social, protects citizens from crime, moderate, able to compromise, reasonable) and importance that the party has this characteristic; Left-right self-rating; left-right rating of the aforementioned parties; voting behaviour in the last five years (second vote); voting behaviour in the last election in which the respondent participated; Importance of various reasons for voting for this party (party has good politicians, party can be trusted in principle, party offers good solutions, was pissed off at another party/parties, always vote for this party, vote for another party every time, party knows what people like me think, wanted to show the other parties, party is setting the right course for the future); parties considered in principle; likelihood of voting for this party in the next election; party preference in the next federal election (Sunday question).

Demography: Sex; age (year of birth or age groups; education: highest school-leaving qualification; occupation or activity if not in employment; occupational status; denomination (religious denomination); frequency of churchgoing; household size; number of persons in the household aged 18 and over;

Additionally coded: Respondent ID; weighting factor; Interview date; Interview duration; city size (BIK and political city size); Information for dual-frame weighting: number of landline numbers and mobile phone numbers via which the respondent can be reached by phone; private mobile phone use; number of mobile phone numbers via which the respondent can be reached in person; mobile phone use exclusively alone or by other persons; number of other persons aged 18 and over who use the mobile phone regularly; private telephone accessibility on an average weekday (exclusively via landline, predominantly via landline, in equal parts via landline and mobile phone, predominantly via mobile phone, exclusively via mobile phone). Number of other persons aged 18 and over who use the mobile phone regularly; private telephone accessibility on an average weekday (exclusively via landline, predominantly via landline, in equal parts via landline and mobile phone, predominantly via mobile phone, exclusively via mobile phone).