Study title

This survey studies the inhabitants' views on their municipalities, municipal services, and decision-makers. Views were also probed on the different ways of participation and influencing, as well as on the level of political and civic activity. The respondents' opinions on how likely they will live in their current municipality of residence for the rest of their lives were charted. They were also asked whether they considered their municipality a good place to live compared to other municipalities. The respondents were asked to what extent they identified with their neighbourhood, municipality, region, country, the Nordic countries, the EU, and Europe on the whole. Political inclinations were surveyed by asking the respondents to place themselves on the left-right axis and on the hard-soft scale. The survey also charted the respondents' satisfaction with their lives, economic situation, and housing. The respondents were asked to evaluate their own abilities to interact with their municipality and to defend their own interests. The respondents were asked which municipal services (public services) they had used in the last 12 months, how well certain municipal services functioned, and whether the municipality should invest more or less in these services in the future. The respondents were also asked whether they had been elected to any office in their municipality, and whether they would be willing to hold an elected office. Political views and activity were investigated by asking the respondents whether they were going to vote in the 2004 municipal elections, whether they were going to vote for a female or male candidate, which party they were going to vote for, and whether they change the party they vote for between different elections. Relating to voting decision, the respondents were asked to rate the importance of the person, the party, and the fact that the candidate lives in the same municipality. Methods and activity of influencing decision-making were...