MSL Germany Public Affairs Survey 2014 - Synopsis in English

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SURVEY 2014Synopsis

For the thirteenth consecutive year, MSL Germany interviewed public

affairs professionals from leading companies and industry federations.

The questionnaire was sent to more than 300 experts with about sixty replies

being received.

“One year after the federal elections, we present the views and thoughts

of leading German lobbyists about the new government’s work and some

of the latest trends in political communications” says Axel Wallrabenstein,

Chairman of MSLGROUP Germany. “With our Public Affairs Survey, we

provide comprehensive insights into the perception of public affairs profes-

sionals in Germany.”

This document summarizes the most important results. The complete sur-

vey is available in German on our website (www.mslgroup.de).

PUBLIC AFFAIRS SURVEY 2014 INTRO

http://www.mslgroup.de

3 MSL GERMANY PUBLIC AFFAIRS SURVEY 2014 – SYNOPSIS

43 %GOOD

2 %VERY POOR

54 %POOR

2 %VERY GOOD

One year after the federal elections, public affairs professionals in Germa-

ny have mixed opinions about the performance of the new grand coalition

made up of CDU/CSU and Social Democrats. 54 percent of respondents

rate the government‘s work as „poor” while 43 percent think it is „good“.

A marginal two percent vote for either „very good“ or „very poor“. However,

the grand coalition starts better than the previous Christian-liberal coalition,

composed of CDU/CSU and FDP: after their first year, 67 percent considered

their performance „poor“ or even „very poor“.

How do you rate the government’s work after their first year in office?

ONE YEAR AFTER THE ELECTION: MIXED RATINGS FOR NEW GERMAN GOVERNMENT


6%GOOD

24%VERY POOR

70%POOR

0%VERY GOOD

The opposition in the federal parliament receives poor marks from German

lobbyists. 70 percent rate the work of the The Lefts and The Greens in the

German Bundestag as „poor“, 24 percent as “very poor”. Only 6 percent think

their work is „good“.

How do you rate the opposition’s work in the German BundestaG?

STRONG DISSATISFACTION WITH OPPOSITION


Although some conservatives miss a focus on economic policy, lobbyists hold them in high regards:

54 percent of the votes go to CDU and CSU. The liberal FDP (no longer represented in the federal

parliament) follows at 26 percent, still ahead of the SPD at 12 percent. The Greens come in at 5 percent,

just ahead of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a populist right-wing party with recent successes in

state elections (3 percent).

whicH party offers the most expertise on the economy?

CDU 48%

THE LEFT 0%

AFD 3%

CSU 6%

THE GREENS 5%

PIRATE PARTY 0%

SPD 12%

FDP 26%

OTHERS 0%

CONSERVATIVES LEADING IN ECONOMIC COMPETENCE

what are the most important projects for the federal government in the next three years? (three answers possible)

2% OTHER

...

76%SOLVING THE EURO CRISIS

22%SUPPORT FOR INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

7% REGULATION OF THE FINANCAL SYSTEM

76%IMPLEMENTING THE ENERGY TRANSFORMATION (ENERGIEWENDE)

17%PENSION REFORM

TAX REFORM44%

IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIAL

JUSTICE

11%

2%COPYRIGHT REFORM

20%DEEPENING OF

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

0% UNIVERSAL MINIMUM WAGE

9% CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

According to public affairs professionals, solving the Euro crisis and the

energy transformation (“Energiewende”) are the key political challenges for

the current government (each at 76 per cent). 44 percent of public affairs

professionals expect tax reform to be an important issue.


SOLVING THE EURO CRISIS MOST IMPORTANT TASK FOR GOVERNMENT

German public affairs professionals are broadly optimistic about the country’s

economic development. Almost two thirds (61 percent) believe the country

is in for continued growth while one third of respondents (33 percent) expect

a stagnation.

How do you expect tHe economy to develop in 2015?

I EXPECT CONTINUED GROWTH

61%

I EXPECT STAGNATING GROWTH

33%

I EXPECT AN ECONOMIC TURNDOWN

6%

OPTIMISM ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN GERMANY



German lobbyists seem to be open-minded towards a mandatory lobby

register. Only 15 percent do not want to see it introduced. 65 percent are in

favour of a registration, but without disclosing any further data. A register with

the disclosure of budgets, staff, goals, service providers and other data is

preferred by 19 percent.

in Germany, tHe introduction of a mandatory register for loBbyists is discussed regularly. what is your opinion about this topic?

19% I FAVOUR A MANDATORY LOBBY REGISTER WITH THE BROADEST POSSIBLE DISCLOSURE OF BUDGETS, STAFFING LEVELS, GOALS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, ETC.

65% I FAVOUR A MANDATORY REGISTRATION OF LOBBYISTS BY NAME, BUT WITHOUT THE DECLARATION OF FURTHER DATA

15% I AM AGAINST THE INTRODUCTION OF A MANDATORY LOBBY REGISTER

WHAT DO LOBBYISTS THINK ABOUT A LOBBY REGISTER?


The use of digital tools in the public affairs industry is growing every year.

54 percent of public affairs professionals in Germany already use social

media tools. However, personal meetings remain the most important tool

to maintain political contacts. 100 percent use these, followed by 83 percent

who use political salons.

whicH tools do you use in order to maintain your political contacts? (multiple answers possible)

100% PERSONAL MEETINGS WITH RELEVANT POLITICAL DECISION-MAKERS

54% PANEL DISCUSSIONS

83% POLITICAL SALONS OR EVENING EVENTS

57% WORKSHOPS

54% SOCIAL MEDIA

4% OTHERS

28% PERIODIC MAILINGS

22% NEWSLETTERS

FOR THE FIRST TIME, MOST PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS USE DIGITAL TOOLS

if you are using social media tools for maintaining political contacts, wHich are tHey? (multiple answers possible)

Facebook is still number one at 51 percent (up 8 percent). However, the

distance to second-placed Twitter melts to just three points. The use of Twitter

increases by 11 percent to 48 percent. Xing, a German business-oriented

network, grows by 16 percent and is now used by 31 percent of respondents to

maintain political contacts.

10%

3%

OTHER 6%

51%

48%

17%

17%

31%


PREFERRED SOCIAL NETWORKS FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS

The complete survey in German is available for download here:

www.mslgroup.de

For more information please contact

Ole Wulff (+ 49 30 / 820 82 – 519, [email protected]).

MSLGROUP Germany GmbH

Chausseestraße 8

10115 Berlin

Germany

Image rights: Tobias Koch (front page)

http://www.mslgroup.de

mailto:ole.wulff%40mslgroup.com?subject=

MSL Germany Public Affairs Survey 2014 - Synopsis in English

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