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Eurobarometer Data Service

The development of the respondent's / the countries' situation

Eurobarometer 14 to 42 (1980-1994)

As far as you are concerned, do you think that next year (19..) will be better or worse than (19..)?

  1. better 
  2. worse 
  3. same

Eurobarometer 47 ff. (1997-2007) (1):

If you compare your present situation with five years ago, would you say it has improved, stayed about the same or got worse?  

In the course of the next five years, do you expect your personal situation to improve, stay about the same or to get worse? 

  1. Improve(d)
  2. Stay(ed) about the same
  3. Get (Got) worse

Eurobarometer 88.1 ff. (2017-):

In your opinion, in five years' time, do you think that your life conditions will be better, worse, or the same than today?

  1. Better
  2. Worse
  3. The same/no change

See also related trend: Expectations for the next year

ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (2)
1039 14 10-11 1980 Q.114 V8
1207 16 10-11 1981 Q.142 V9
1209 18 10 1982 Q.157 V9
1319 20 10 1983 Q.127 V10
1321 22 10-11 1984 Q.123 V11
1542 24 10-11 1985 Q.149 V11
1544 26 10-11 1986 Q.139 V11
1713 28 10-11 1987 Q.129 V11
1715 30 10-11 1988 Q.112 V11
1752 32 10-11 1989 Q.2 V11
1960 34.0 10-11 1990 Q.2 V18
2081 36 10-11 1991 Q.34 V96
2295 38.1 11 1992 Q.3 V18
2459 40 10-11 1993 Q.4 V21
2563 42 11-12 1994 Q.4/ V36
2936 47.1 3-4 1997 Q.37/Q.38 V248/V249
3296 53 4-5 2000 Q.5/Q.6  
3507 55.1 4-5 2001 Q.8/Q.9  
3639 57.1 3-5 2002 Q.5/Q.6  
4056 61 2-3 2004 Q.5/Q.6  
4229 62.0 10-11 2004 Q.5/Q.6  
4411 63.4 5-6 2005 QA5/QA6  
4414 64.2 10-11 2005 QA5/QA6  
4506 65.2 4-5 2006 QA5/QA6  
4528 66.3 11-12 2006 QA13/QA14  
4530 67.2 4-5 2007 QA5/QA6  
6925 88.1 9-10 2017 D79  
6927 88.2 10 2017 D79  
6939 88.4 12 2017 D79  
7482 89.2 4 2018 D79  
7483 89.3 6-7 2018 D79  
7484 90.1 9 2018 D79  
7488 90.2 10-11 2018 D79  

Personal/ country situation compared with five years ago

Compared with five years ago, would you say things have improved, gotten worse or stayed about the same when it come to ... ? 

  • Your life in general
  • The area you live in
  • The healthcare system in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • The provision of pensions in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • Unemployment benefits in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • The cost of living in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • Relations in (OUR COUNTRY) between people from different cultural or religious backgrounds or nationalities
  • The way inequalities and poverty are addressed in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • How affordable energy is in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • The way public administration runs in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • The economic situation in (OUR COUNTRY)
  • Your personal job situation
  • The financial situation of your household
  • The employment situation in (OUR COUNTRY)
ZA Study Number Eurobarometer Fieldwork Month Fieldwork Year Question Number Variable Name (2)
4972 71.2 5-6 2009 QA4  
5235 73.5 6 2010 QA4  
5564 75.4 6 2011 QB4  
5613 77.4 6 2012 QB4  

(1) Not available in the "Mannheim Eurobarometer Trend File 1970-1999". 

(2) Please note that the variable names refer to the final ICPSR/ZA codebook editions, if available.