ARD-DeutschlandTrend 2002

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 federal election (Sunday question); satisfaction with selected top politicians (Claudia Roth, Edmund Stoiber, Friedrich Merz, Gerhard Schröder, Gabi Zimmer, Hans Eichel, Joschka Fischer, Jürgen Möllemann, Lothar Späth, Angela Merkel, Otto Schily, Peter Struck, Renate Künast, Rudolf Scharping, Guido Westerwelle and Walter Riester); Chancellor preference for Gerhard Schröder or Angela Merkel or for Gerhard Schröder or Edmund Stoiber; next Federal Government should again be SPD-led versus CDU/CSU-led; agreement with various statements on the FDP; assessment of the credibility of the SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens, FDP, PDS parties; coalition preference for the future composition of the Federal Government; 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 and asylum policy, reliable foreign policy, education policy, family promotion, commitment to peace, social justice, health policy, reconstruction of destroyed flooded regions, fighting crime, reconstruction of the East, tax policy, protection against terrorist attacks, environmental policy, advancing Germany as a business location, securing prosperity, solving Germany´s future problems); certainty of election decision; agreement with various statements on the PDS; comparison of Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber with regard to: likeability, credibility, stronger leadership personality, familiarity with citizens´ problems, advancing Germany´s economy, creating and securing jobs, right concepts for Germany´s future problems, social attitude, building up the East German economy, new directions in politics and fighting crime; conditions in Germany at present more cause for confidence or more cause for concern; comparison of Gerhard Schröder and Edmund Stoiber in terms of: likeability, credibility, stronger leadership personality, better public figure, advancement of the economy in Germany, creation and safeguarding of jobs, correct concepts for future problems in Germany, social attitude, development of the East German economy, immigration of foreign workers to Germany, tax policy, and impetus for improving the school and education system in Germany; assessment of the economic situation in Germany at present and in a year´s time; satisfaction with the work of the individual governing parties, the SPD and the Greens; assessment of various governing coalitions in terms of their suitability for Germany (coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP, of SPD and Greens, of CDU/CSU and SPD, of SPD, Greens and FDP, of SPD and FDP, and of SPD, PDS and Greens); satisfaction with the work of the CDU/CSU opposition; satisfaction with the work of the red-green Federal Government; most important political problems in Germany; future expectations with regard to: personal standard of living, personal opportunities on the labor market (job security or job search) and changes in personal circumstances due to the imminent eastward expansion of the European Union as well as effects of the reform of old-age provision; satisfaction with the efforts of the red-green Federal Government in selected policy areas to date; main actors responsible for low economic growth in Germany (Federal Government, employers, unions, world economy as a whole); support for a reduction in non-wage labor costs in the low-wage sector despite further debt; expected election winner in the next Bundestag election; expected better job placement in the course of a reform of the Federal Labor Office; justified criticism by Foreign Minister Fischer of the U.S. regarding a military strike against Iraq; most important criterion as a party voter (party´s top candidate, party´s proposed solutions to factual issues or long-term party loyalty); immigration law: Address immigration issue in Bundestag election campaign versus keeping it out of election campaign; key reason why immigration issue should be kept out of election campaign; support business proposal to curtail Bundesrat powers; SPD donations affair as a problem of the SPD in NRW, the entire SPD or a problem of all parties; sufficient consistency of the SPD in NRW in clearing up the donations affair; main points of criticism of the work of the red-green Federal Government; focus of the parties in the coming Bundestag election campaign more on party program or more on top candidates; importance of TV duels between Chancellor candidates for voters shortly before the Bundestag election; opinion on the level of income increases of around 4 percent demanded by IG Metall; demand for tighter gun laws following the rampage in Erfurt; outcome of Bundestag election already decided versus still open; FDP politician currently more influential in determining the party´s political course (Guido Westerwelle or Jürgen Möllemann); acceptance of FDP participation in a coalition government against the backdrop of the anti-Semitism dispute; party with the strongest will to reform; correct direction of the Hartz Commission´s reform proposals to reduce unemployment; support for the establishment of personnel service agencies; support for the Hartz Commission´s proposal to pay unemployment benefits in 3 lump sums for the first 6 months, staggered according to last income; support for the proposal to lower the reasonableness threshold; expected effects on unemployment figures after implementation of the Hartz Commission´s proposals; expected changes in various areas with Edmund Stoiber as chancellor (personal economic situation, situation on the labor market, Germany´s standing in the world, and fighting crime); rating of Edmund Stoiber on a left-right continuum; coalition preference for the next Federal Government (coalition of CDU/CSU and FDP, of SPD and CDU/CSU, or of SPD, Greens and FDP); estimated influence of lobbyists on politicians´ decisions against the background of the Hunzinger affair; expected winner of the second TV duel between Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and his challenger Edmund Stoiber; importance of this speech duel for personal election decision; expected stable contributions of public health insurers next year despite a high deficit; most important issues that the Federal Government should address immediately after the Bundestag elections (open mentions); renewed decision for the elected party versus decision for another party; red-green Federal Government will significantly reduce unemployment; endorsement of various proposals by various politicians (renewed increase in eco-tax to stabilize employee contributions to pension insurance, reintroduction of wealth tax for large fortunes and increase in inheritance tax on inheritances in the millions to finance education reform); health care reform: increase in contributions with stable benefits vesus reduction in benefits with stable contributions; support for proposal to increase tobacco tax to finance prevention campaigns; correct course taken by Finance Minister Eichel to solve financial problems; opinion on Germany´s participation in military action against Iraq (in any case, only within the framework of a UN mandate, in principle do not participate); approval of Chancellor Schröder´s strict no to an attack on Iraq despite disgruntlement with the USA; preliminary decision on the CDU/CSU´s next Chancellor candidacy in favor of Merkel with her election as CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader in the Bundestag; opinion on Jürgen Möllemann remaining in office as FDP chairman in North Rhine-Westphalia despite his leaflet critical of Israel; confidence in selected members of the Federal Government; Manfred Stolpe as Federal Minister a good choice to represent the interests of East Germans versus preferring a younger politician; credibility of the Federal Government´s statement that the extent of the financial gaps in the federal budget was not apparent until after the Bundestag elections; financial gap of 14 billion euros in the federal budget next year will remain versus larger financial gap to be expected; preference for tax increases for all citizens versus cancellation of tax benefits for certain population groups; expected decline in unemployment figures through consistent implementation of the Hartz Commission´s reform proposals; correctness of Chancellor Schröder´s and Foreign Minister Fischer´s refraining from criticism of Russia for human rights violations in Chechnya versus demand for clear criticism; opinion on the expulsion of Jürgen Möllemann from the FDP after his refusal to name the donors for his leaflet critical of Israel; credibility of selected top government and opposition politicians; agreement with various statements in connection with the establishment of a committee of inquiry against the SPD because of the accusation of having deceived voters; willingness to elect a new party with Möllemann at its head; opinion on the delivery of German Fuchs tanks to Israel.

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.