Anti-racism protest on the UN Anti-Racism Day at Senate Square in Helsinki on March 21, 2024. LEHTIKUVA
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According to the latest party barometer by research firm Veriani, 61 percent of Finns believe that Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s government has performed poorly in its duties. Specifically, 38 percent rated the government’s performance as very poor, while 23 percent considered it somewhat poor.
Contrarily, one-third (34%) held a different opinion, deeming the government’s actions at least somewhat satisfactory.
Only 11 percent regarded the government’s performance as good, with an additional 23 percent giving it a somewhat good rating.
Particularly, supporters of the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) (79%) and the Finns Party (Perussuomalaiset) (67%) believe the government has succeeded in its work.
However, opinions within the smaller coalition parties vary significantly. While 56 percent of Christian Democrats view the government’s performance positively, only 13 percent of Swedish People’s Party (RKP) supporters share this sentiment.
Notably, 96 percent of Left Alliance supporters rated the government’s performance as at least somewhat poor, followed by 93 percent of Social Democrats and 91 percent of Greens who agreed with this assessment.
Furthermore, 73 percent of Centre Party supporters perceive the government’s work as weak, with nearly one-quarter (23%) holding the opposite view.
Opposition Criticized for Lack of Alternative Solutions
Regarding the opposition, 65 percent believe they have performed at least somewhat poorly in presenting alternatives to the government’s policies.
While 31 percent viewed the opposition’s performance as poor, 34 percent rated it as somewhat poor.
Conversely, 24 percent provided positive feedback to the opposition. Five percent considered their performance excellent, while 19 percent rated it as fairly good.
The opposition received the most recognition from Left Alliance supporters, with 51 percent giving it a good rating. Similarly, 41 percent of Social Democrats and 31 percent of Greens viewed the opposition favorably. Among Centre Party supporters, 31 percent deemed the opposition’s performance good.
However, the opposition faced the most criticism from supporters of the National Coalition Party and the Finns Party. Eighty-one percent of Kokoomus supporters believed the opposition had performed poorly, while the figure was slightly higher among Finns Party supporters at 87 percent.
Increased Confidence in Government’s Stability
Practically, half of the respondents (49%) believe the government will remain in power for the entire term. On the other hand, 37 percent anticipate its downfall, with 15 percent undecided on the matter.
There is a slight increase in confidence in the government’s stability compared to last October when an equal percentage (43%) believed it would survive until the end of the term.
Among Kokoomus supporters, 84 percent are confident in the government’s longevity, while 72 percent of Finns Party supporters share the same view. However, one in ten Kokoomus supporters (10%) and one in five Finns Party supporters predict the government’s early demise.
Similarly, 64 percent of Left Alliance supporters, 61 percent of Social Democrats, and 60 percent of Greens anticipate the government’s collapse.
Public Opinion on Parties
Currently, Finns view the National Coalition Party most favorably, with 43 percent holding a positive opinion. Forty-one percent have a positive view of the Social Democratic Party.
The Centre Party evokes positive thoughts in 39 percent of respondents, while the Finns Party and the Left Alliance receive positive ratings from 38 and 33 percent, respectively.
Thirty percent view the Christian Democrats positively, followed by Movement Now (Liike Nyt) and the Swedish People’s Party at 29 and 26 percent, respectively.
The Swedish People’s Party’s perception has slightly worsened compared to last fall (-7 percentage points), as has the Social Democratic Party’s image by the same margin.
However, it’s worth noting that while the Social Democratic Party’s previous score was one of its best, the Swedish People’s Party’s current score is its lowest of the 2020s.
Additionally, attitudes toward the Left Alliance (-4) and Movement Now (-4) have slightly deteriorated.
The changes regarding other parties are less significant.
Expectations for Voter Turnout
Fifty percent stated they would definitely vote in the upcoming European Parliament elections. Another 29 percent are likely to do so, while 15 percent are unsure.
The intention to vote has slightly increased. A year ago, only 42 percent planned to vote in the European elections. Last October, the corresponding figure was 44 percent.
Furthermore, slightly more respondents are motivated to vote in local elections. Fifty-seven percent stated they would definitely vote in the combined regional and municipal elections next year. Seventy-one percent intend to vote in the next parliamentary elections.
The method used in the Party Barometer, especially the number of respondents identifying as definite voters, provides a good indication of future election turnout.
For instance, in the spring 2023 Party Barometer, 72 percent of participants considered voting in the parliamentary elections certain. According to Statistics Finland, the domestic voter turnout was 72.0 percent.
The recent results raise hopes that voter turnout in the upcoming European elections may exceed that of the 2019 elections, where just over 40 percent of eligible Finnish voters cast their ballots.
About the Study
Research firm Veriani conducted the Party Barometer from March 18 to 25, 2024. The survey was conducted using the Forum respondent panel, representing Finland’s population aged 18 and over (excluding residents of Åland). A total of 1,372 interviews were conducted, with a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points in either direction.
HT
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Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
