According to a February poll conducted by STEM/MARK agency, most people in the Czech Republic believe that president-elect Petr Pavel will be a better president than the incumbent head of state, Milos Zeman. In the second round of the presidential election, held on January 27 and 28, Pavel won with 58.3 percent of the vote, while Babis received 41.7 percent. The turnout for the election was over 70 percent, the highest recorded in the three direct presidential elections held so far. More than half of the respondents in the poll believe that Pavel met almost all the conditions for the post of president, and his presentation, speech, and intelligence were perceived positively.

Pavel has been actively participating in politics since his election, having a phone call with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, meeting Zeman, and visiting the Karlovy Vary Region in West Bohemia. The poll revealed that 63 percent of respondents believe that Pavel will be a good president, and 71 percent expect him to be a better head of state than Zeman. Even supporters of other candidates in the first round of the election, including economist Danuse Nerudova and senator Pavel Fischer (unaffiliated), believe that Pavel will surpass the current president.

Before the presidential election, Pavel was supported by the government coalition of Together, comprising of the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09, Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), and of Mayors and Independents (STAN) and Pirates. However, people are hesitant about Pavel’s independence and political experience, as he received positive evaluation in this respect from less than 50 percent of respondents.

People who expect Pavel to be a good president are mostly under 30, secondary-school and university graduates, and people living in bigger towns. People over 60 and those living in the border regions are more sceptical towards him. The poll participants evaluated Zeman with marks as used at school, with 1 being the best grade and 5 being the worst. Zeman’s average mark was 3.6, receiving a better evaluation from the voters of Babis, elderly people, and people from villages.

In conclusion, the STEM/MARK agency’s February poll shows that the majority of people in the Czech Republic believe that president-elect Petr Pavel will be a better president than the incumbent head of state, Milos Zeman. Pavel’s presentation, speech, and intelligence were perceived positively, and over half of respondents believe he met almost all the conditions for the post of president. While people are hesitant about Pavel’s independence and political experience, his supporters believe that he will surpass Zeman in his role as head of state.

Article by Prague Forum