Politbarometer time series 1977 - 2010

At the moment the time series is available for the Politbarometer 1977-2010 (access data). For the survey area West (former FRG) the data set comprises 81 selected variables for the entire period from 1977 to 2010. For the 1996 to February 1999 timeframe an all-German sampling is available.

With a total of 435.622 respondents and ideally over 450 survey dates an interesting product for further analysis is the result. The provided codebook documents the number of survey dates for each variable as well as any change of the question or answer text over the whole period.

As the data collection method of the Politbarometer switched from the initial face-to-face interview to telephone survey by midyear 1988, there is also a basis for an investigation into the methodical aspects of this change. As in some years more than twelve surveys were conducted a variable was added on request of our users. Now there is one variable that serially numbers the surveys of one year and another variable in which the surveys are coded by month of investigation.

The dataset contains the following topics:

• voting intention and party preference (opinion poll)
• voting behaviour at last Bundestag elections
• party skalometer
• satisfied with achievements of the federal government and achievements of the opposition parties
• satifsfaction with democracy
• suitable politicians in leading positions
• respondent's interest in politics
• self-rating on a left-right scale
• evaluation of the economic situation in the FRG and expected further development
• personal financial situation and expected development
• competence of government and opposition in securing jobs, improving the economic situation in East and West, improving environmental protection and securing pensions
• rating the reputation of the party chairmen within their parties
• evaluation of the state of society
• comparing the state of the German society with the one of the Western European neighbours
• attitude towards an increased acceptance of global-political responsibility by the unified Germany
• sensed military threat
• evaluation of peace security in Europe
• attitude towards nuclear energy
• attitude towards a reunification of the two German states
• attitude towards the right of political asylum in Germany
• general attitude towards foreigners in Germany
• rating of different attitudes towards the topic of abortion
• profitability of the country's membership in the European Union
• most important problems in the FRG
• review of the current year and outlook on the coming year
• religiousness
• trade union membership
• federal state and size of town
• representative weight as well as the usual complete Politbarometer demography

© GESIS Monika Langhans