Nearly one in two in upbeat mood about 2011
Almost 50 per cent of Austrians are optimistic regarding the new year, according to a survey.Pollster IMAS said today (Weds) 47 per cent of interviewed Austrians said they were looking forward to 2011. This share resembles figures of the agencys poll at the same time last year, but does not match figures published in December 2008 when 59 per cent said they were pessimistic about next year.IMAS explained Austrians were in an extraordinarily upbeat mood in the mid-1970s, in the late 1980s and in the year 2006.Its 2010 study shows that especially unskilled labourers are sceptical about their situation and the economic development of Austria next year, while freelancers, young Austrians and well educated people in leading positions are in an optimistic mood.IMAS, which is based in Linz, also interviewed citizens of several Eastern European (EE) countries. Those interviews revealed that pessimists only have a narrow lead ahead of people with an optimistic attitude towards developments in 2011 in Poland, Hungary and Slovakia.The situation is however significantly different in the Czech Republic where only 34 per cent say they were optimistic about their personal situation and developments in their country next year.