Politicians, Political institutions

The best positions are still in the hands of ČSSD, who occupy the first three ranks - Stanislav Gross (he enjoys confidence of 74% of the respondents), Petra Buzková (60%) and prime minister Špidla (56%). They are followed by the resigned US-DEU leader Hana Marvanová (38%) and KDU-ČSL leader Cyril Svoboda (33%). The top ten also features ČSSD ministers Součková (31%) and Škromach (28%), Václav Klaus from ODS (30%) and two more members of KDU-ČSL Jan Kasal (29%) and Zuzana Roithová (27%).

The president is trusted by 55% and distrusted by 42% of citizens. The level of confidence in the president has been relatively stable at least since mid-1999 and is regularly above the 50% limit. The new government of Vladimír Špidla enjoys confidence of 48% of interviewees and is not trusted by the same number of respondents (48%). The second survey of the coalition cabinet trustworthiness level confirms the results from September and is significantly higher than the one expressed to the departing cabinet in July (43 %).

The best evaluation marks went to the media – press, radio and television (average grade 2.41) – and only a slightly worse score was achieved by the prime minister (2.55). Above-average marks were also received by ČSSD, the government and the Chamber of Deputies chairman. The activities of the Senate chairman, KDU-ČSL, Chamber of Deputies and president scored marks slightly below the average and even worse marks were achieved by ODS, KSČM, Senate and US-DEU.

Majority of Czech citizens believe that their own interests are taken into consideration mainly by people from their immediate surroundings, people, whom they know, and also by television, police, newspapers, army and prime minister. In case of courts and trade unions the public’s trust and distrust are roughly on the same level, though with a slight prevalence of the latter. As far as Czech people in general, the president, churches and private companies are concerned, the public is clearly convinced that these subjects are not concerned with the interests of ordinary individuals.

The president is trusted by 45% and distrusted by 52% of citizens. The level of confidence in the president has dropped by 9 % points compared to July. The new government of Vladimír Špidla enjoys confidence of 48% and is not trusted by 46% of the respondents. The new Chamber of Deputies enjoys confidence of 32% (5% points more than the previous Chamber of Deputies) and is not trusted by 62% of the respondents.

Stanislav Gross still remains at the top of the chart (he enjoys confidence of 72% of the respondents), followed by ministers Tvrdík (59%) and prime minister Špidla (56%). Despite a significant drop, Petra Buzková is still favoured by slightly more than a half of the respondents (51%). In comparison with the results from April 2002 there has been a significant growth of public confidence in minister Tvrdík (+10% points) and prime minister Špidla (+7).

Czech citizens evaluate the past electoral term of Miloš Zeman’s minor government relatively positively. The number of positive reactions concerning home and foreign policy, economy and in general ranges between 29 - 33 %. The highest level of critical reactions appeared in connection with economy (28 %), nevertheless in other fields the negative views were expressed by roughly one fifth of the respondents.

Four fifths (79 %) of the respondents agree with the opinion that deputies should above all follow the programme, with which their party went to the elections. However, at the same time 69 % of the interviewees expressed the view that deputies in the Chamber of Deputies should above all promote the interests of regions, where they had been elected. 73 % of citizens think that deputies should have some previous experience with local or regional government.

The president is trusted by 54% and not trusted by 41% of the respondents. It is possible to say that the level of confidence in the president has been stable for the period of at least two years now. The leaving government enjoyed confidence of 43% of the interviewees and was not trusted by 49%. The current evaluation of the government corresponds with the results obtained right after its formation in September 1998.

As far as the departing monochrome minor cabinet of Miloš Zeman is concerned, the total results of the evaluation of the government’s actions in home and foreign policy, economy and with regard to overall contribution to the Czech Republic were relatively favourable. The number of critical views has not significantly surpassed the 30 % mark in any of the realised survey and it has always been at least approximately balanced by similar number of positive views and surpassed by the number of those, who regarded the government’s work as neutral.