Prague - The latest poll on the upcoming European Parliament elections reveals that one third of Czechs are determined to vote in the elections.
Thirty two percent of the respondents would vote Civic Democrats (ODS) and 29 percent would caste a ballot for Social Democrats (ČSSD).
The Communist Party received an incredible 18 percent support in the poll, which would be the third most voted party.
The survey conducted by IPSOS TAMBOR was commissioned by the Civic Democratic Party. Aktuálně.cz has the poll results available.
From the survey it also transpires that among the most loyal voters are so called "active seniors". In this category are mainly supporters of the Social Democrats and Communist Party (KSČM).
The poll surveyed 2,043 respondents in all 14 regions. Compared to the last EU elections in 2004, the Social Democrats have noted a significant increase of popularity. At that time they received around 9 percent.
Paroubek more trustworthy than Topolánek
Despite the fact that the determined voters would vote ODS, the ČSSD leader Jiří Paroubek is more popular than the ODS leader Mirek Topolánek.
Forty three percent of respondents prefer Jiří Paroubek over Mirek Topolánek who received a 32-percent support.
The survey also revealed 64 percent of respodents not being content with the current ODS government. Forty three percent would welcome a snap election.
EU elections unpopularity
The EU elections face decreasing numbers of voters in all EU countries. Only 4 years in the EU, the Czechs do not show much enthusiasm about the elections either.
Two thirds of Czech voters are undecided whom to vote and whether they will vote at all. They said that their decision will depend on the election campaign.
Almost half of the respondents will decide whom to vote according to a party allegiance. Among young people a personality seems a more important factor than anything else.
Sixty nine percent of interviewees are adamant that the EU elections are important with 21 percent marking them "very important".
Polls abroad
Similar polls conducted by Eurobarometer in other EU countries revealed deeper skepticism about the forthcoming EU elections.
According to the Eurobarometer poll, only two per cent of the Finns answered correctly when asked the date of the next EU Parliament election. Accuracy to within a month would have sufficed for a correct answer.
Almost equally ignorant as the Finns were the British and the Cypriots. The best informed are the people of Luxembourg, of whom just over one in three knew the date of the next election.
This will be the first European Parliament election that Bulgaria and Romania will attend.
