Public Wants More Action On Employment

Finns now see the most important task for the government as being improvements in employment. A YLE-commissioned poll shows that the public considers bettering the employment situation as even more important than securing the future of public services. Nearly 60% say the government has done a poor job in dealing with weakened employment.

The survey, carried out by the pollster Taloustutkimus, found that 21% of the some 4000 people questioned consider that the government's most important task is to improve employment. Better healthcare services were in second place, seen as the number one priority by 16% of those surveyed.
The chief of research for Taloustutkimus, Juho Rahkonen, says that public social services have traditionally topped the list of concerns among the Finns, but now employment has moved up to the top of the list.
Even so, says Rahkonen, the importance of the traditional Nordic welfare state has not declined in the minds of the Finns.
"It is still there in the background. In fact, this concern over employment may be related to worries about the welfare state and the continuation of what is seen as a good Finnish way of life."
The government received its highest marks for its handling of foreign and security policy, as well as environmental affairs. Overall, backers of the Centre Party and of the conservative National Coalition Party were most satisfied with the work of the present government. Least satisfied were supporters of opposition leftist parties.
The YLE-commissioned survey was carried out during the autumn months.