Performance voting studies implicitly assume that voters know who the government is, and can thus judge office-holders retrospectively. Scholars have recently addressed the issue in a majoritarian electoral context. This study expands into looking at (1) knowledge of the government in a multiparty setting by (2) focusing on the sociodemographic determinants of that knowledge. Using a 2008 survey data from Finland, the study finds that ignorance of government composition is more widespread in a proportional electoral system with a coalition government. Only 38% of the respondents correctly identified the government. Those on the political left, and hence in parliamentary opposition, men, over 45 years old and those with a high socioeconomic status were more likely to correctly identify the government. The results suggest that most voters do not know what they need to know in order to vote retrospectively. The implications for government accountability are discussed.