SRG does not inform parties about gsf survey
The SRG will not inform the parties of the results of the gfs poll on the March 7 referendum. It has notified the SP, SVP, FDP, CVP, BDP, and the Greens of this decision in a letter.
As spokesperson Daniel Steiner confirmed in a report in the Basler Zeitung, the issue is the credibility of SRG. It is not possible to provide the parties with raw data on the survey, as this data is in the possession of the research institute gfs.bern. SRG only has the right to first publication of the analyses.
The controversy surrounding the gfs survey was triggered by its results on the minaret ban initiative, which was put to the vote on November 29, 2009. Based on the survey, a No majority of 53% had been predicted, but the initiative was accepted with 57% of votes in favor. SRG therefore decided to review the poll and not to publish any poll results during this period. As a result, the figures for the vote on March 7 are not available. To the extent that they were collected, only gfs.bern and the SRG project manager have knowledge of the results, said Steiner.
However, SRG will continue to use the projections from gfs.bern on the day of the vote, Steiner said. Whether and in what form the gfs survey will be published again should be clear by the next federal vote on September 26. SRG has so far spent around CHF 40,000 per ballot on two surveys of voters.
The controversy surrounding the gfs survey was triggered by its results on the minaret ban initiative, which was put to the vote on November 29, 2009. Based on the survey, a No majority of 53% had been predicted, but the initiative was accepted with 57% of votes in favor. SRG therefore decided to review the poll and not to publish any poll results during this period. As a result, the figures for the vote on March 7 are not available. To the extent that they were collected, only gfs.bern and the SRG project manager have knowledge of the results, said Steiner.
However, SRG will continue to use the projections from gfs.bern on the day of the vote, Steiner said. Whether and in what form the gfs survey will be published again should be clear by the next federal vote on September 26. SRG has so far spent around CHF 40,000 per ballot on two surveys of voters.
