600 women and men of different ages and nationalities were interviewed. For about two-thirds of respondents, competence is the decisive factor.
In times of crisis, what matters most to the population is that the elected politicians are competent and capable of making sound decisions. According to the results of the survey, this is more important than sympathy, charisma, or mere words. For ATOZ Managing Partner Keith O’Donnell, this result shows that people in Luxembourg are less susceptible to populism:
“We think it’s a question of Luxembourgish culture; we are in a small country with neighbouring countries right next door, and there is no room for populism,” O’Donnell says. He explains that “in a big country, people might hope for charismatic or strong personalities who will move the country forward, but here people rely more on pragmatism and look more for competence.”
For over-35s, reliability and diligence are two important qualities in politicians. 18–34-year-olds, on the other hand, specifically look for politicians that are not only talkative and open, but also helpful and pleasant to be around.
Across all age groups, however, there are also some qualities that are not well perceived at all.
“The worst thing in people’s eyes is favouritism. It was clear that they don’t want to see that under any circumstances,” O’Donnell says, speculating that this could again be due to the fact that Luxembourg is a small country where this type of behaviour is “immediately noticeable.”
In total, 53% of respondents said they oppose the practice. 49% said they reject selfish behaviour and careerism among politicians. On the other hand, respondents find it less serious if politicians do not complete their mandates. Respondents are also indifferent to what politicians do in their private lives, placing more importance on them doing their jobs well.
This survey was conducted by Quest for ATOZ.
Full report by RTL Télé (in Luxembourgish):
