Court chairman Pavel Rychetský most-trusted Czech official; President Miloš Zeman second

Prague, Nov 6 (CTK) – The Czech Republic’s most trusted constitutional officials are Constitutional Court (US) chairman Pavel Rychetský with 46 percent and President Miloš Zeman with 45 percent, according to a Public Opinion Research Centre (CVVM) poll conducted in October and released today.

The third most trusted constitutional official is PM Andrej Babiš (ANO) with 42 percent.

The poll assessed public trust in 30 top officials, with deputy PM and Finance Minister Alena Schillerova (for ANO) in fourth place with 38 percent.

The fifth position in the poll with 35 percent is shared by Senate chairman Jaroslav Kubera (opposition Civic Democrats, ODS) and Labour and Social Affairs Minister Jana Malacova (junior government Social Democrats, CSSD).

The lowest trust was reported for Transport Minister Vladimir Kremlik (for ANO) with 11 percent and CSSD deputy group head Jan Chvojka with 12 percent.

Compared to the poll conducted in May 2019, people’s trust increased the most in the case of Schillerova, by 10 percent, as well as Justice Minister Marie Benesova (for ANO), by 8 percent.

A marked increase of trust was also measured in the case of Czech National Bank (CNB) Governor Jiri Rusnok, Czech Ombudsman Anna Sabatova, Chamber of Deputies chairman Radek Vondracek (ANO) and ANO deputy group head Jaroslav Faltynek.

Only three of the 30 politicians included in the poll received more trust than distrust, specifically Rychetský, with 14 percent more trust than distrust, followed by Kubera and Schillerova.

Zeman and Malacova reached the most balanced ratio of trust and distrust, with 45 percent of trust and 48 percent of distrust in Zeman’s case and 35 percent of trust and 37 percent of distrust in Malacova’s case.

The largest difference between trust and distrust was faced by TOP 09 deputy group head Miroslav Kalousek, with distrust reaching 78 percent.

Almost half of Czechs also distrust Babis and Culture Minister Lubomir Zaoralek (CSSD).

The poll was conducted on 1,021 people over 15 between October 5 and 20.

A similar poll was published by the STEM agency today, also showing that most Czechs trust Rychetsky, with 52 percent, and almost half trust Zeman and Babis.