ARD-DeutschlandTrend 2005

Since 1997 the ARD-DeutschlandTREND is being conducted on behalf of the ARD (Arbeitsgemeinschaft der öffentlich-rechtlichen Rundfunkanstalten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland - First German Public Broadcasting Association) as well as various print media by Infratest dimap. The monthly telephone survey with approx. 1,000 respondents (for party preferences approx. 1,500 respondents) per wave is based on representative samples and measures attitudes of the voting-age population in the Federal Republic of Germany toward parties, politicians, and current political issues. Some topics are asked repeatedly in an identical manner over time, while other topics are included in one or several surveys only. The DeutschlandTREND is available as an annual cumulation for the years from 1998 onwards.<br>Party preference in the next Bundestag election (Sunday question); satisfaction with selected top politicians (Christian Wulff, Edmund Stoiber, Franz Müntefering, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Gregor Gysi, Gerhard Schröder, Hans Eichel, Horst Seehofer, Joschka Fischer, Jürgen Rüttgers, Horst Köhler, Angela Merkel, Michael Glos, Matthias Platzeck, Manfred Stolpe, Oskar Lafontaine, Otto Schily, Roland Koch, Renate Künast, Sigmar Gabriel, Peer Steinbrück, Ulla Schmidt, Volker Kauder, Wolfgang Clement, Guido Westerwelle and Wolfgang Schäuble); Chancellor preference for Angela Merkel or Matthias Platzeck or for Gerhard Schröder or Angela Merkel; preference for a change of government in the early Bundestag elections or for red-green to continue governing; perception of the parties FDP, Greens, left-wing alliance of PDS and WASG, SPD, and CDU/CSU as united or divided; assessment of the problem-solving competence of a CDU/CSU-led Federal Government; party competence: most competent party to solve selected political tasks (securing old-age pensions, securing jobs and creating new ones, foreigners policy, social justice, health policy, representing Germany´s interests abroad, fighting crime, tax policy, advancing Germany as a business location, securing prosperity, solving Germany´s future problems); voting for the Republicans, the DVU or the NPD in the next Bundestag election is conceivable; personally most important topic from politics, business and society (open, maximum of two mentions); assessment of the economic situation in Germany in one year; evaluation of various government coalitions in terms of their suitability for Germany (continuation of the SPD/Green coalition, a grand coalition of SPD and CDU/CSU, of CDU/CSU and FDP, and a CDU/CSU sole government); satisfaction with the work of the red-green Federal Government; confidence in the grand coalition with regard to its goals (reducing unemployment, making necessary cuts in a socially equitable manner, agreeing on an improved system of statutory health insurance, getting a grip on the budget, securing pensions, representing Germany appropriately in the world, economic growth, improved cooperation between the federal and state governments); CDU/CSU politicians with the better qualifications as challengers to Chancellor Gerhard Schröder: Angela Merkel or Edmund Stoiber; expected permanent improvements in the labor market in the wake of the Hartz IV reforms; successful start of the Hartz IV labor market reform; social reforms go too far versus not far enough; expected winner of the next federal election; tsunami disaster in Southeast Asia: appropriate reactions of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer to the tsunami disaster; out of an abundance of caution, no longer travel to Southeast Asia versus take a vacation there after a certain period of time; personal willingness to donate to the victims of the flood disaster; approval of statements on the record level of unemployment in Germany; expected development of future relations between Germany and the U.S.; U.S. military strike planned against Iran; expected winner of the state election in Schleswig-Holstein; necessary prerequisites of Angela Merkel, Edmund Stoiber and Christian Wulff as challengers against Chancellor Gerhard Schröder; top political duo best suited to lead the new Federal Government after the 2006 Bundestag elections: Schröder-Fischer or Merkel-Westerwelle; demand for Joschka Fischer´s resignation as Foreign Minister because of his personal failings in the visa affair; agreement with statements on the Greens; opinion on criticism of Foreign Minister Fischer because of the visa affair; opinion on lifting the arms export ban against China; cut pensions as planned due to falling net wages vs. prevent pension cuts by changing law; best way to prevent pension cuts (increase pension contributions, raise retirement age slightly, higher debt); debate on capitalism: justified criticism by SPD chairman Franz Müntefering of the economy on the power of capital; improved election chances for the SPD in the state elections in North Rhine-Westphalia due to criticism of the economy; benefit or damage to Germany as a business location due to the debate on capitalism; clear language in a political debate is appropriate; agreement with the statement by FDP chairman Westerwelle with regard to the major damage caused by the unions to the labor market in Germany; 60. anniversary of the end of World War II more a day of liberation or more a day of defeat; Bundestag should be able to dissolve itself to allow for new elections versus keeping old rule; expected VAT increase by a CDU/CSU-led Federal Government after a won Bundestag election; preferred course of action after rejection of the European Constitution by a majority of the French population (put Constitution to a vote again, revise Constitution or not pursue European Constitution); preferences with regard to the development of the European Union (continue development, current status sufficient, partially reverse agreement); expected new election of the Bundestag in the fall in the wake of Chancellor Schröder´s vote of confidence; expected winners of an early Bundestag election; best future government coalition for Germany (coalition of SPD and Greens, of CDU/CSU and FDP or a grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD); expectations for a government of CDU/CSU and FDP: more likely to face additional personal financial burdens or more likely to ease them; certainty of electoral choice; preference for an SPD-led Federal Government or a CDU/CSU-led Federal Government; best future coalition government for Germany (coalition of SPD and Greens, of CDU/CSU and FDP, grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD, or of SPD, Greens and Left Party); expected improvements or deteriorations for various social groups and institutions after a victory for the CDU/CSU and FDP in the early Bundestag election; sufficient statutory pensions to cover living expenses in the future; support for mandatory private pension provision; best future coalition government for Germany (coalition of SPD and Greens, of CDU/CSU and FDP, grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD or a coalition of SPD, Greens and Left Party); expected next German Chancellor (Gerhard Schröder or Angela Merkel); approval of statements on TV duel between Gerhard Schröder and Angela Merkel; EU accession of Turkey as an issue in the Bundestag election campaign versus keeping the issue out; best future governing coalition for Germany (grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD, of CDU/CSU, FDP and Greens, of SPD, FDP and Greens, and of SPD, Greens and Left Party); winner of Bundestag election from respondent´s point of view; clear leadership mandate of CDU/CSU versus CDU/CSU and SPD should negotiate on an equal footing; opinion on Gerhard Schröder giving up claim to chancellorship or by Angela Merkel; preferred politicians from the CDU/CSU and SPD for the chancellorship; expected good work by various politicians in a grand coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD as ministers in the new Federal Government; assessment of Franz Müntefering´s withdrawal from the SPD party chairmanship as appropriate versus excessive; Müntefering should hold on to the office of vice Chancellor and Labor Minister in the event of a grand coalition after withdrawing from the SPD party chairmanship versus relinquishing the ministerial office; trust in the leadership competence of future SPD party chairman Matthias Platzeck; agreement with statements on the SPD; assessment of Edmund Stoiber´s decision to remain Minister-President in Bavaria instead of becoming Economics Minister in the Federal Government as appropriate versus excessive; Rejection of Stoiber more likely to strengthen or weaken a future grand coalition; approval of statements on Edmund Stoiber; expectation of Angela Merkel as good chancellor of a grand coalition; expected willingness of SPD under new leadership in a grand coalition to make tough cuts for citizens; grand coalition as best solution versus preferring to hold new elections; expected outcome of grand coalition; successful start of the grand coalition; party with more weight in the grand coalition (Union or SPD); agreement with various political statements (trust the new government to really change something, Angela Merkel cuts a good figure as Chancellor, important that there is now also a woman at the helm, new coalition has already begun to argue about important issues).

Demography: sex; age; employment; occupational status; highest level of schooling; household net income.
Additionally coded were: Record or pagination number; wave identifier; region (east/west); federal state; BIK community type; weighting factor.