Prague - More than half of the Czech population oppose the Lisbon Treaty, but only one-quarter of Czechs know what effects the treaty would have on the Czech Republic, according to a poll conducted by STEM in October.

Only three percent of the survey's 1,245 participants know with certainty what the treaty is about. One quarter said they knew "more or less", while almost a half of those polled knew nothing at all about the treaty.

Despite this low awareness of the treaty's content, more than a half of the population do not want the Czech parliament to ratify the treaty, while 45 percent approve of it.

Most of those who disapprove of the document are also those who said they know nothing about its content.

Right-wing voters favour treaty

More positive attitude towards the Lisbon Treaty predominate among right-wing voters, while most supporters of the Social Democrats (ČSSD) and the Communists (KSČM) are sceptical.

This is slightly paradoxical, since the right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS) is seen as largely euro-sceptic and its honorary chairman, Prasident Václav Klaus, is an outspoken critic of the EU and the Lisbon Treaty. On the other hand, the opposition ČSSD tend to be more EU-friendly.

The ODS asked the Czech Constitutional Court earlier this year to determine whether it is compatible with the Czech constitution. The court is scheduled to rule on the issue at the end of November.

If approved by the court, the Czech parliament could ratify the treaty in early 2009, at a time when the Czech Republic will preside over the EU.