The Comparative Candidates Survey (CCS) – a network with which the Observatory of Democracy and Political Representation is associated – has just published the new version of the dataset collected from an international survey, referring to Module III of its dataset. In this new version of the international database, data collected in the elections in Portugal (2022), Iceland (2021), Montenegro (2023), and Switzerland (2023) have been added to the countries already published.
The data for Portugal was collected by the Observatory of Democracy and Political Representation through the sixth edition (referring to the 2022 elections) of the Survey of Candidates for Legislative Elections. The other editions are available at https://er.cies.iscte-iul.pt/pt-pt. A systematized database with all editions of the survey—including the seventh edition (referring to the 2024 elections)—will soon be launched in honor of the scientific legacy of Professor André Freire, who has led the projects since the first edition in 2007.
The CCS is an international network that has been in operation since 2005, coordinating the growing number of surveys of candidates from a comparative perspective. It works to harmonize efforts and establish a comparable core between countries, combining a basic international questionnaire with questions that capture national specificities.
Module III of the CCS covers more than ten elections in more than ten countries. The cumulative dataset is available for download on the SWISSUbase platform upon registration. After logging in, simply access the CCS catalog, click on the “Datasets” tab, then on “Comparative Candidates Survey (CCS) Module III – Cumulative Dataset 2019–2024,” and finally start the download. Please note that the data will only be available after approval of the request by the CCS committee, which normally takes up to two business days. Access is free of charge.