Politicians, Political institutions
Public preferences concerning presidential candidates
The results of the survey show that none of the current pretenders to the post of the president enjoys prevailing support of the public. In case of all the monitored candidates, whom the respondents considered for the post of the president individually, the number of adversaries was always higher than the number of supporters. The relatively highest preferences of all the considered persons were achieved by Otakar Motejl and Petr Pithart (both 43 %), followed by Václav Klaus (35 %), Miloš Zeman (29 %), Jaroslav Bureš (25 %), Jaroslava Moserová (16 %) and Miroslav Kříženecký (12 %).
Evaluation of Václav Havel’s presidency
In December survey the CVVM SOÚ AV ČR focused (among other issues) also – in connection with the upcoming end of Václav Havel’s constitutional mandate – on the evaluation of the president’s work according to six selected criteria. The number of positive opinions in the case of the president strongly prevailed, in particular in such attributes, where the interviewees evaluated his performance of constitutional functions, maintaining the authority and respectability of the presidential office and above all presentation in abroad.
Citizens on presidential elections
From the offered presidential candidates it is Otakar Motejl, whom the Czech citizens regard as the most acceptable. He now enjoys both the highest number of supporters (45%) and the lowest number of opponents (41%) and only in his case the supporters’ percentage is at least a little prevailing. The second most acceptable candidate is Petr Pithart, who would be welcomed as president by 37% of the respondents, however already more than a half of them does not want him to become the president.
Confidence in constitutional institutions
The president is trusted by 58% and distrusted by 40% of citizens. Confidence in the president has been relatively stable at least since 1999 a regularly surpasses the 50% limit. The government of Vladimír Špidla enjoys confidence of 51% and is not trusted by 45% of the respondents. This third survey of the new coalition cabinet trustworthiness level confirms the September and November findings and is by far higher than the one expressed to the leaving Zeman’s cabinet in July (43%).
Politicians popularity
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%).
Confidence in constitutional institutions
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 %).
Political parties and selected institutions activities evaluations
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.
How much people believe that others are concerned with their interests?
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.
Confidence in constitutional institutions and government evaluation
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.
Politicians popularity and supreme constitutional officials activities evaluation
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).
Page 41 of 43