65% Finns pessimistic towards world situation in 2019

Finns were fairly optimistic about their personal lives in 2019, but were among the most pessimistic people about the world situation, a survey revealed on Saturday.

The survey was done by research institute Taloustutkimus as the Finnish contribution to a global poll by Gallup International, "Hope and Optimism about Global Peace".

Thirty-seven percent of Finns believed the coming year will be better for them personally than 2018, while 14 percent thought the outlook is worse. Forty-two percent predicted no change, national broadcaster Yle reported.

Juha Rahkonen, the research director of Taloustutkimus, told Yle that Finns are more optimistic about their personal situation than the people in EU countries on average.

But in their assessment of the international situation, 65 percent of Finns predicted there will be more unrest in the world in 2019, while the global average was 35 percent.

Only 8 percent of Finns thought 2019 will be more peaceful internationally.

Rahkonen said the results placed Finland among the most pessimistic nations about the world situation.

"Parhaps Finns think that Finland is a peaceful island in a tumultuous world," Rahkonen pondered.