Apr 15 2007

Polls: 58 % of Icelanders want to halt heavy industry projects and 61% want the right to vote on heavy industry

According to a new Gallup poll 58% of the Icelandic nation want at least a five year stop to more heavy industry projects. People were asked if they wanted a five year “pause” in heavy industry projects. Just under 33% wanted no pause.

30% said they were strong supporters of a pause and 28% said they were quite in favour of a pause in any more heavy industry projects. Over 9% said they were neither for or against a pause. Under 19% said they were quite against such a pause and over 14% said the very much against such a pause. About 66% of women which answered said they supported a heavy industry pause for five years. Under 23% of women said they were against such a pause and 11% did not have an opinion.

Over 49% of males said they were in favour of a halt in heavy industry projects. 7% said they were neither for or against a pause and under 44% said they were against a pause in heavy inustry in the country.

A great majority of Left Green voters said they wanted a pause for the next five years, or 89%. 10% said they were against a pause and 1% had no opinion.

Over 74 Percent of the Social Democratic Alliance voters said they favour a pause in heavy industry, over 16% are against and 10% had no opinion.

Under 36% of Progresive Party voters said they favoured a pause but 44% would not favour it. 20% had no opinion. Over 38% of Independence Party voters said they favoured a halt to heavy industry for five years but under 52% want no pause. 10% of conservatives had no opinion.

Over 70% of those who vote other parties than the four above said they want a pause in heavy industry, 22% are against a pause and under 8% had no opinion.

Gallup telephoned 1230 people betwen the ages of 18 to 75 years old from 28 March – 2 April.

According to another new opinion poll from the polling organization Gallup Iceland, 61 percent of participants want further ideas about heavy industry to be voted on in a national election.

Two thirds of female participants would like a national election on heavy industry projects, but only half of male participants agreed to the idea, as ruv.is reports.

Seven to eight of every ten voters ages 18 to 35 would like to vote on further projects in heavy industry, but only five to six of every ten voters ages 35 to 75 believe the matter should be voted on.

Those who support the government are rather inclined to not wanting a national election, while those who support the opposition parties rather support the idea of a national election on heavy industry projects.

The poll was undertaken via telephone between 3-9 April. 940 individuals from all over the country between ages 18 and 75 were approached and 62 percent participated in the poll.

Náttúruvaktin