French National Election Panel Study, 1967-1969

Detailed examination of the political scene in France during the late 1960s. Summarized the views of both voters and elected officials on the issues confronting France ahead of the 1967 and 1968 National Assembly elections and the 1969 Presidential election. Part 1 contains the data obtained from the Mass Questionnaire designed to evaluate voter attitudes during the years 1967, 1968, and 1969. The data contain the responses of 2,046 voters sampled across 86 of the 467 electoral districts in France at that time. The 1967 questionnaire solicited the respondents' views on the general conditions in France and the major problems facing France during the late 1960s. Respondents were asked to assess the performance of President Charles DeGaulle and that of the DeGaulle regime and to provide their opinions on a wide range of policy issues concerning the economy, education, welfare reform, and European integration. Respondents were asked to describe their interest in the forthcoming National Assembly elections, their voting history, and any partisan allegiances. The questionnaire also sought respondents' educational, socioeconomic, and professional backgrounds. The 1968 questionnaire reiterated many of the same questions as the 1967 questionnaire with special attention given to the economic conditions in France and the 1968 student riots. The 1969 questionnaire sought essentially the same information as the 1967 and 1968 versions. With presidential elections on the horizon, there was added emphasis on the respondents' confidence in the government, their feelings regarding President DeGaulle, and which party they felt would best handle French affairs. Respondents were also asked to evaluate the results of the preceding National Assembly elections in addition to various policy issues. Part Two contains the data obtained from the 1967 and 1968 Elite Questionnaires, which sought the views of 272 of the 400 candidates (elites) vying for seats in the French National Assembly in the 1967 and 1968 elections. The data summarize the candidates' educational, personal, and political backgrounds. The data also contain responses describing the candidates' knowledge of their constituency and the problems facing their district. Both questionnaires also sought the respondents' views regarding economic, social, and foreign policy. The elites were also asked to share the details and outcomes of their electoral campaign, as well as to describe their conduct while serving as deputy.