Survey Finds Strong Support for Universal Basic Income in Slovenia

STA, 23 November 2020 - As many as 48% of respondents in a Valicon survey support the introduction of universal basic income (UBI) in Slovenia, as opposed to 14% who oppose it. The rest are either undecided (21%) or think they are not informed well enough (20%). The idea is most popular among voters of the opposition Left.

Taking into consideration the respondents' political preferences, 65% of those who would vote for the opposition Left if the elections were held on Sunday are in favour of the proposal.

Those supporting the opposition Alenka Bratušek Party (SAB) are in second place with 63%, followed by the supporters of the coalition Modern Centre Party (SMC) with , 59% and the non-parliamentary Pirate Party (57%).

The proposal is also quite popular among those who would vote for the opposition Marjan Šarec Party (LMŠ), as 50% of them are in favour of UBI.

A total of 49% of the supporters of the non-parliamentary Good State would welcome the proposal as well as 47% of those who would vote for the opposition SocDems.

The supporters of the remaining coalition parties are less enthusiastic though.

As many as 38% of voters of the Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) and of the Democrats (SDS) support the idea, while it the support of 37% of New Slovenia (NSi) supporters.

The lowest recorded support was among the voters of the opposition National Party (SNS), 21%.

Meanwhile, UBI is least popular among the non-parliamentary People's Party (SLS) voters, 25% of them oppose it outright, followed by SDS and SNS supporters (19% and 18%, respectively).

Parties whose voters support the introduction of UBI above the average support recorded in the survey have a 10% share or less of those who are against it, with the exception being the LMŠ (12%).

SNS voters have the greatest share of those that are undecided or not sufficiently informed (61%), followed by DeSUS supporters (47%), NSi and Greens (both 46%), Good State (44%), SDS and SD (both 43%) and LMŠ (38%).

The share of those undecided or not sufficiently informed is the lowest among voters of parties who support UBI the most.

The online survey was conducted in mid-October among 2,460 respondents aged between 18 and 75.