In March survey, the 44 % of Czech citizens expressed their opinion that mass media mainly influence decisions of politicians. Respondents also talked about influence of some monitored media upon decisions of politicians - Czech Television and Nova TV have the biggest influence upon decisions of politicians. According to respondents´ opinion daily MF Dnes has strong influence upon decisions of politicians.

March survey has dealt with a topic of employment of foreigners in Czech Republic. 55 % of Czechs think it is right to employ foreigners, 36 % express the opposite view. The employment of foreigners has higher approval rate among graduates and people with good living standard. On the other hand, people with bad living standard and especially jobless respondents opposed the idea more frequently.

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March survey of CVVM investigated attitudes of Czech public to some national groups that are living in the Czech Republic in significant number.

In March survey respondents evaluated news coverage of selected Czech mass-media from the perspective of its veracity and completeness.

In April survey the Public Opinion Research Centre focused on topic of the presidency of the European Union. The Czech Republic has assumed the presidency of the EU on 1 January 2009. The respondents were asked if they are interested in this topic or if they have a lot of informations about the presidency. The survey also investigated citizens’ evaluation of the Czech Republic’s preparations for the presidency.

Popularity of Party Representatives

In April 2009 CVVM SOÚ AV ČR investigated whether respondents trust to selected politicians. They were given a list with 27 names of top politicians who represent political parties present in Chamber of Deputies.

In March 2009 CVVM used some questions focused on public tolerance to some groups of people. Czechs were shown a list of 14 groups of people and they had to say, whether they would not want these people as their neighbours. Negative attitude to neighbourhood of four groups was expressed by Czech people. These groups consist of drug addicts, 85 % of Czech would not want them to be their neighbours. Four fifths of Czech citizens (79 %) would not like to live close to people with criminal past and 78 % of Czechs would not want alcoholics in their neighbourhood.

In March 2009 CVVM focused on political culture and political Parties in Czech Republic.

According to major part of czech citizens (81%) arguments, problems and scandals are common and occur in other democracies, although major part of addressed respondents (82%) expressed their opinion that these argumentations and scandals discredit us abroad.

Almost all respondents (90%) agreed that there is need to inform public about the problems, argumentations and scandals, because czech politicians need to be under control of public.

On the elections to the European Parliament

In April 2009, 46 % of Czech citizens expressed willingness to participate in the election to the European Parliament. On the other hand, 40 % of Czech voters did not want to vote. The remaining 14 % were still undecided.

Those polled who expressed willingness to participate in the elections were then asked the following open question (without a list of parties being used): ‘What political grouping or party are you going to vote for in the elections to European Parliament?’ The answers indicate that most votes would be given to the Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD, 28 %) and the Civil Democratic Party (ODS, 26 %), followed by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM, 13 %), the Christian and Democratic Union (KDU-CSL, 6 %) and the Green Party (SZ, 5,5 %).

Confidence in constitutional institutions and satisfaction with political situation in April 2009

In April 2009 within the regular survey CVVM SOÚ AV ČR, v.v.i., questioned respondents about their confidence in constitutional institutions. In this month there was a question about their trust to Chambers of Parliament, Government, President, Local and Regional Councils.

As a part of the CVVM surveys there is a question about public satisfaction with current political situation in the Czech Republic.