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40% of Newstalk listeners lean left but...

Nearly forty per cent (39.9%) of Newstalk listeners surveyed believe they lean left in their poli...
Newstalk
Newstalk

19.37 26 Mar 2013


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40% of Newstalk listeners lean...

40% of Newstalk listeners lean left but...

Newstalk
Newstalk

19.37 26 Mar 2013


Share this article


Nearly forty per cent (39.9%) of Newstalk listeners surveyed believe they lean left in their political views, with just over thirty-two per cent (32.2%) claiming to lie in the centre and almost twenty-eight (27.9%) thinking they are more right-wing.

However, a closer look at the results reveals that while listeners have more liberal views on social issues such as gay rights, healthcare and the father's role in the home, they are more conservative on the rights of immigrants and the economy.

Newstalk created a visual infographic that breaks down the data. 

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The key survey findings are as follows:

  • FAMILY - 82% agree that fathers should be allowed stay at home full-time to care for their children
  • RIGHT TO DIE – 67% agree that you should have a right to euthanasia if you have a fatal illness
  • ABORTION – 71% disagree that abortion is never justified
  • EU – 73% disagree that we should considering leaving the EU
  • GAY RIGHTS – 65% agree that gay couples should have full rights, including the right to adopt a child
  • WEALTH – 57% agree that there is nothing wrong with some people being a lot richer than others
  • HEALTHCARE – 61% agree that the state should pick up the bill for citizens’ healthcare, similar to the NHS in the UK
  • IMMIGRATION – 39% agree that there should be very strict limits on the number of immigrants coming to live in Ireland

Analysing the survey results, Claire McGing of NUI Maynooth says:

"There is a distinct left-right divide on social and economic issues: listeners hold highly left views on social and other issues, but are quite right-wing on taxation and immigration issues.

"In many ways, these are outliers - listeners are more left of centre than they regard themselves to be." 

1,674 took part in the survey between 14th - 19th March 2013.

  • Male 70.4%   
  • Female 29.6%

Age-groups who participated:

  •   0 - 18 -   0.3%
  • 19 - 24 -   4.5%
  • 25 - 34 - 18.0%
  • 35 - 44 - 33.2%
  • 45 - 54 - 25.5%
  • 55 - 64 - 14.3%
  • 65+      -  4.2%

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