Poll: Centre Party falls below 20 per cent

Winners of municipal elections continue to surge

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Support for the Centre Party has sunk to below 20 per cent. A fresh poll commissioned by Helsingin Sanomat and conducted by Suomen Gallup shows that the main government party now has the backing of 19.5 per cent of the electorate.
     The result is more than five percentage points below that of the Centre’s biggest government partner, the National Coalition Party, which polled nearly 25 per cent.
     The previous time support for the Centre was below 20 per cent in a poll by Suomen Gallup was in late 1995, more than 13 years ago.
     
The respondents were asked what party they would vote for if Parliamentary elections were held now.
     Support for the National Coalition Party was 24.7 per cent, and that of the largest opposition party, the Social Democrats, was 21.6 per cent.
     The National Coalition Party and the True Finns have made the biggest gains from the previous Parliamentary election. Support for both is 2.4 percentage points higher than in the 2007 election. In addition to the Centre, the Left Alliance, the Christian Democrats, and the Swedish People’s Party have lost ground.
     
The three largest parties, the Centre, the National Coalition, and the Social Democrats, were long in a virtual three-way dead heat.
     After the municipal elections in October, the National Coalition Party began to surge, at the expense of the Centre. Support for the SDP has remained almost unchanged since the summer.
     The winners of the municipal elections, the National Coalition Party, the Green League, and the True Finns have all seen their support rise since the elections.
     
The poll gives the Greens 9.5 per cent, nearly one point higher than the Left Alliance, which gets 8.4 per cent. The True Finns have surged to 6.5 per cent.
     The Christian Democrats got 4.4 per cent support, slightly ahead of the smallest government party, the Christian Democrats, who are getting 4.2 per cent.
     
The poll involved interviews with 2,523 people, conducted betwen January 7th and February 1st this month. The margin of error with the larger parties is about two percentage points in either direction.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Poll: National Coalition Party increases lead over competitors (22.12.2008)

See also:
  Support for Centre Party slips below 20 per cent (19.1.2009)

Helsingin Sanomat