State Election in Thuringia 2024

The study on the state election in Thuringia 2024 was conducted by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen. In the survey period from 26.08.2024 to 30.08.2024, 1217 eligible voters aged 18 and over were surveyed in telephone interviews (CATI) and online on the following topics: assessment of parties and politicians, attitudes to political issues. The respondents were selected using a multi-stage random sample. A combined sample of landline and mobile phone numbers was used for the election study in Thuringia. The mobile phone sample was based on a random sample of all freely generated mobile phone numbers in Germany. The respondents selected in this way received an executable link by SMS, which led directly to the questionnaire to be completed once online. Those respondents who subsequently stated that they were eligible to vote in Thuringia received the questions of the election study accordingly. Most important political issues in Thuringia (landline only); intention to vote in the state election; intended type of election (polling station or postal vote); party preference (first vote and second vote); certainty of own voting decision; interest in the state election; importance of federal politics for own voting decision at state level; voting decision in the last state election; coalition preference (landline only); split A: Opinion on a government of CDU and BSW led by the CDU, of BSW, Linke and SPD led by the BSW, of AfD and CDU led by the AfD and of a minority government led by the CDU (end of split A); split B: Opinion on a government of CDU and BSW led by the CDU, of CDU, BSW and SPD led by the CDU, of CDU, BSW and Linke led by the CDU, of AfD and CDU led by the AfD and on a minority government led by the BSW (end of split B); sympathy scalometer for selected parties at federal and state level; split B: Satisfaction with the performance of the state government consisting of the Left, SPD and Greens, with the Left, SPD and Greens as parts of the state government, the opposition parties AfD, CDU and FDP, and the performance of the federal government consisting of the SPD, Greens and FDP (scalometer, end of split B); split A: Sympathy scalometer for the top politicians Björn Höcke, Friedrich Merz, Bodo Ramelow, Olaf Scholz, Mario Voigt and Katja Wolf (end of split A); party in Thuringia that is liked best or second best; political interest; preference for Bodo Ramelow, Björn Höcke, Mario Voigt and Katja Woif as Minister President in Thuringia; split A: Comparison of the credibility, likeability and expertise of Bodo Ramelow, Björn Höcke, Mario Voigt and Katja Wolf (end of split A); split B: Preference for Björn Höcke or Mario Voigt, for Björn Höcke or Katja Wolf or for Mario Voigt or Katja Wolf as Minister President in Thuringia (end of split B); split A: Assessment of the economic situation of the federal state in general and in comparison to the other eastern German federal states; assessment of own economic situation at present and in one year; most competent party to solve the economic problems in the federal state (end of split A); split B: Party most likely to advocate policies in line with personal views in the areas of refugees and asylum as well as school and education policy; party best able to ensure social justice in Thuringia; party in Thuringia most likely to address the concerns and problems of East Germans (end of split B); opinion on the future viability of the federal state; most competent party to solve future problems of the federal state; assessment of the work of Minister President Bodo Ramelow; party that should lead the government after the state election in Thuringia (Die Linke, the AfD, the CDU or the BSW); split B: Opinion on the CDU´s incompatibility decision with regard to the parties Die Linke and AfD; FDP in Thuringia or FDP in the federal government responsible for a possible poor performance of the party in the state election (end of split B); split A: Opinion on AfD participation in government after the state election; influence of AfD participation in government on Thuringia as a business location; opinion on BSW participation in government after the state election; Greens in Thuringia or Greens in the federal government responsible for a possible poor performance of the party in the state election (end of split A); voting for the AfD party because of political content or as a lesson for other parties; split B: Thuringia can cope with large numbers of refugees from crisis areas (end of split B); split A: we are doing enough for refugees, not doing enough or doing just the right thing; agreement with various statements on current issues (the federal government´s policies are to blame for the AfD being so strong in Thuringia; if the CDU/CSU were to pursue better policies at federal level, the AfD would not be so strong in Thuringia; traditional values should play a much greater role in our country again; AfD lead candidate Björn Höcke is a danger to democracy (end of split A); AfD is a danger to democracy (split B); fair share of living standards; Western countries should provide more vs. less military support for Ukraine; assessment of talks between Western politicians and Russian President Putin with a view to ending the war in Ukraine; stricter regulations for asylum seekers who are to be deported vs. more consistent application of existing regulations. Demography: sex; age (classified); education: school-leaving qualification or aspired school-leaving qualification; completed university degree; completed apprenticeship; occupation; own job security; occupational status and characteristics of current or previous job; household size; number of people in household aged 18 and over; trade union member in household; religious denomination; party affiliation; party identification; size of location. Additionally coded were: questionnaire number; survey mode; sample frame (landline or mobile); weighting factor.