Data Spotlight #1

Surveys by the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government

The topics represented in the surveys of the Press and Information Office of the Federal Government (Bundespresseamt; BPA) are diverse, ranging from questions on climate change, migration, and health policy issues to questions delving into topics such as the polarization of society, discrimination, and gender issues. A highlight of the BPA data collection is the rich amount of trend surveys; over several waves, these surveys cover current issues such as attitudes toward the Ukraine war, climate change, and the Corona pandemic. For example, the “Corona Trend Questions” mapped attitudes toward specific health policies and the COVID-19 pandemic in general over two years and 48 waves.

Since 2016, GESIS has provided access to rich survey data and other materials from the BPA. The BPA is responsible for informing citizens and the media about the work of the Federal Government. What is less known, however, is that the BPA commissions an immense number of surveys that map political attitudes and issue preferences in the German population, serving as a decision-making aid for the German government. Both cross-sectional and trend surveys are available. The surveys generally include sample sizes of around 1,500 people using various survey methods (e.g., telephone or web). The surveys are conducted by renowned opinion research companies such as Forsa or Infratest dimap.