Study title

The Politbarometer has been conducted since 1977 on an almost monthly basis by the Forschungsgruppe Wahlen on behalf of the Second German Television (ZDF). Since 1990, this database has also been available for the new German states. The survey focuses on the opinions and attitudes of the voting-age population in the Federal Republic on current political issues, parties, politicians, and voting behavior. From 1990 to 1995 and from 1999 onward, the Politbarometer surveys were conducted separately both in the newly formed eastern and in the western German states (Politbarometer East and Politbarometer West). The separate monthly surveys of a year are integrated into a cumulative data set that includes all surveys of a year and all variables of the respective year. Starting in 2003, the Politbarometer short surveys, collected with varying frequency throughout the year, are integrated into the annual cumulation.General judgement on the correctness of unification of the two German nations; national pride; judgement on the stability of the German Mark and ability of the government or opposition in this question; attitude to tax increases and assessment of the necessity of tax increases to finance German unity; expected tax increase in the current year; attitude to increase in government debt to finance re-unification; preference for economizing or tax increase; attitude to reintroduction of the solidarity tax. Most competent party in policies on asylum; judgement on the German asylum law; assessment of abuse of the right to asylum; attitude to an ammendment to the Constitution and acceleration of asylum hearings; attitude to housing applicants for asylum in communal housing; judgement on the allocation of applicants for political asylum to the new states; ability to cope with the current crush of applicants for asylum; attitude to guarantee of the right to take legal action for applicants for political asylum; expected chances for Engholm´s proposal on the right of...