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Czech Opposition Still in Upward Trend

November 27, 2008

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - People in the Czech Republic are increasingly favouring the opposition Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD), according to a poll by CVVM. 43 per cent of respondents would vote for the CSSD in the next legislative election, up three points since October.

The governing Civic Democratic Party (ODS) is a distant second with 27.5 per cent, followed by the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) with 11.5 per cent, the Christian and Democratic Union - Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL) with eight per cent, and the Green Party (SZ) with 6.5 per cent.

In June 2006, Czech voters renewed the Chamber of Representatives. Final results gave the ODS 35.58 per cent of all cast ballots, followed by the CSSD with 32.32 per cent. Czech parties require at least five per cent of the vote to earn seats under the country’s proportional representation system. The final tallies gave the ODS, the KDU-CSL and the SZ 100 seats in the lower house, with the remaining 100 seats going to the CSSD and the KSCM.

The tie among rival factions led to a long political stalemate. In January 2007, Czech president Vaclav Klaus re-appointed ODS leader Mirek Topolanek as prime minister. Topolanek’s government eventually won a confidence motion in the Chamber of Representatives after a 100-97 vote. This year, the ODS-led government has survived two no-confidence motions.

On Nov. 3, CSSD leader Jiri Paroubek said his party would not invite the KSCM to form a coalition government if it wins the next ballot, saying, "The Communist Party is unlikely to be modernized in a short time."

Polling Data

What party list would you vote for in the next parliamentary election?

 

Nov. 2008

Oct. 2008

Sept. 2008

Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD)

43.0%

40.0%

34.0%

Civic Democratic Party (ODS)

27.5%

26.5%

29.0%

Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM)

11.5%

14.5%

16.0%

Christian and Democratic Union - Czech People’s Party (KDU-CSL)

8.0%

8.5%

7.5%

Green Party (SZ)

6.5%

7.0%

10.0%

Source: CVVM
Methodology: Interviews with 1,084 Czech voters, conducted from Nov. 3 to Nov. 10, 2008. No margin of error was provided.