March 2025 Senate End-of-Term Approval Poll
Results and Analysis
Written by Amalteia and United Vietussia
Poll conducted by United Vietussia
"Net Approval" is calculated in this analysis by first subtracting the total number of "Dissatisfied" and "Very Dissatisfied" responses from the total number of "Satisfied" or "Very Satisfied" responses, then dividing the result by the total number of responses minus the number of "Don't Know" responses, and multiplying the result by 100. This method provides the gulf in percentage point proportions between respondents who approve of a given official and those who disapprove, with "Don't Know" responses not affecting results.
Representativeness:
The November 2024 Senate election had 59 voters, while the most recent Senate election had 58 voters. Something else worth mentioning is the Senate By-Election this March, which saw 32 voters cast ballots. This poll got responses from 23 Europeian citizens. Accordingly, the sample used in this analysis is representative of around 40% of the Senate voter base relative to a typical General Election electorate based on turnout in the last two elections.
Results:
Overall Senate Satisfaction: +69.6% net approval
- Not very active of late.
- A strong start but it is deader than a doornail now
- Fell off in the back half
- Started off strong but tapered off
Approval of the Senate's work remains high with a 69.6% net approval rating. This is an effective 1.2% decrease from last term’s polling result of 70.8%. Comments on the 98th Senate praise its enthusiasm at the beginning of the term but point out a gradual lack of activity and relative inaction as of late.
Speaker Lloenflys: +74.0% net approval
- The Senate could have used more of a rabble rouser this term.
Lloenflys stands strong with a high net approval. Notably, he received several Neutral ratings from respondents (17.4%). One respondent noted that this Senate "could have used more of a rabble rouser"; whether this comment is directed at Lloenflys or to the Senate as a whole is unclear, but it may factor into his share of Neutral respondents.
Deputy Speaker GraVandius: +82.6% net approval
- Grav was a Deputy Speaker?
- Did some cool things then [kinda] was quiet with everyone else
GraVandius checks in with the highest individual net approval at +82.6%. Contrary to Lloen, GraV has less votes as “Very Satisfied”, but has a far higher “Satisfied” vote count. The Deputy Speaker was perhaps best known for his proposal of the Get a Life Amendment, which sought to criminalize vote tracking practices but ultimately failed in the Senate.
Senator JayDee: +8.7% net approval
- MIA
JayDee is a divisive Senator. With a 39.1% “Satisfied” rating and a 30.4% “Dissatisfied” rating, JayDee scored the lowest net approval at +8.7%. The only comment here notes that he was “MIA", a comment that might reflect larger sentiments in the electorate over JayDee's perceived activity level.
Senator Malaxa: +43.4% net approval
- Love seeing Malaxa get more involved
- Decent first term
Malaxa checks in with a solid net approval for a first term, with a majority of respondents approving of his work and less than 20% disapproving of his work. It's a promising debut for the rising star who was appointed as Minister of Outreach just a few weeks ago.
Senator Monkey: +34.8% net approval
- MIA
A consistent theme in the comments and criticisms of our 98th Senate is a noticeable pattern of inactivity. Monkey’s sole comment mirrors that of JayDee as the Senator is marked by a responder as MIA. That said, such comments did not seem to affect Monkey's approval as much with a net approval rating coming in at 34.8%.
Senator United Vietussia: +39.2% net approval
UV performs relatively well, with a lower dissatisfaction rate compared to some of his fellow Senators. However, UV also checks in with the largest share of "Neutral" respondents about his performance, with over one-third of respondents rating his performance accordingly.
Senator Common-Sense Politics: +34.8% net approval
- Too soon to say, but good start
Despite CSP's relatively short time in office, having been in the Senate for less than a month, his net approval rating stands at +34.7%. However, it's important to note that a significant portion of the respondents remains unsure or neutral, reflecting a significant swath of the electorate that has not formed a solid opinion on CSP's work given his shorter term.
Senator Comfed (Prior to resignation): +82.6% net approval
Comfed received an incredible 65.2% of “Very Satisfied” votes and registered an identical net approval mark to GraV. Comfed's work was widely lauded by his colleagues when he was required to resign from office to take up the role of Attorney General, and it is clear that the rest of electorate seems to agree with this assessment.
Senate Satisfaction Rankings:
T-1. GraVandius: +82.6%
T-1. Comfed (partial term): +82.6%
3. Lloenflys: +74.0%
Overall Senate: +69.6%
4. Malaxa: +43.4%
5. United Vietussia: +39.7%
T-6. Monkey: +34.8%
T-6. Common-Sense Politics (partial term): +34.8%
8. JayDee: +8.7%
Legislation:
This poll also sought opinions from the electorate on the handling of several legislative issues by the 98th Senate.
Circuit Court Reform
- [S***] or get off the pot, bruh.
- How long have we been discussing this?
- No Progress
- Hard to judge because are there really any reform avenues other than dissolution?
While a majority of the electorate approves of the Senate's handling of Circuit Court reform discussions this term, the comments perhaps provide insight into the sentiment of those opposed to the Senate's handling of it. Respondents cited dissatisfaction with the sheer length of the discussion, and another respondent also openly asked whether the Senate could do anything with reform discussion except decide to shutter the court. With the topic still open, it remains to be seen how much of a role the issue will play in the upcoming General Election with Re: Constitutionality of Elections fading more into the background.
Elections Act Review
- Appeared to miss the boat of due diligence.
- Bungled
- Well it got vetoed so...
Nearly 70% of respondents approve of the Senate's handling of the Elections Act review. Some opposition to the Senate's handling appears to stem from the vetoing of the originally passed bill over AG Comfed's LA, which outlined potential uncertainty and risks over the court's potential interpretation of a new Elections Act.
Get A Life Amendment
- Not very professional
While the Get A Life Amendment ultimately failed in the Senate, a majority of respondents supported the Senate's handling of the amendment, perhaps signaling a lack of public support for the amendment as well. Notably, the Peoples' Assembly narrowly passed Resolution 018 after the amendment's failure, which condemned "the practice of attempting to discover the contents of a Europeian citizens' ballot as having no legitimate purpose".
Senate Procedure Clarification Amendment
- Glad to see it being repealed
After a narrow passage initially, the Senate Procedure Clarification Amendment is now the subject of a potential repeal by the Senate. Accordingly, our respondents were largely split over their opinion on the Senate's handling of the issue, with one commenting support of its repeal.
Temporary Delegate Transfer Amendment
Passed in response to the magnetism mechanic associated with frontiers on NationStates, respondents were largely supportive of the Senate's handling of the Temporary Delegate Transfer Amendment. While some discussion over the specific data delayed passage initially, the bill eventually passed with little opposition.
Commission on Electoral Innovation and Civic Engagement
Respondents are largely supportive of the Senate's discussion over the Commission on Electoral Innovation and Civic Engagement, a key idea from CSP's successful by-election bid. The issue remains a cornerstone of CSP's current re-election bid and figures to be a key issue for the 99th Senate.
Re-Election of Current Senators/Upcoming Election:
Reflective of the overwhelming approval of much of the Senate's work, our poll shows that respondents would re-elect all sitting Senators except for JayDee. Notably, CSP checks in with all but one respondent saying they would re-elect him, reflecting an eagerness for his continued service and potentially a tacit endorsement of his ambitious plans surrounding civic engagement. Lloenflys and GraV also garnered the support of over 75% of respondents for a re-election bid, while UV, Monkey, and Malaxa all sat in the 60% range.
- Amalteia, upc, m88youngling, PhDre
- Rand
- Lethen, Hem
Respondents also provided an eclectic list of potential candidates for the General Election, including some relative newcomers (Amalteia, m88youngling) as well as more established voices in Europeian life (upc, PhDre, Rand, Lethen, HEM).
With the General Election quickly approaching this week, the Europeian electorate continues to broadly support the work of the Senate, including the potential re-election of most of the current Senate. It remains to be seen what shape the field of candidates will take in the last days of this campaign, but with only six candidates presently standing, those still on the sidelines may consider launching a last minute bid in such an open field.
