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Summary for: Havel remains Czechia’s favorite president as Pavel gains groundVáclav Havel remains the president Czechs view most favorably more than two decades after leaving office, according to a new STEM/MARK survey.
The playwright and former dissident ranked first among Czechia’s four post-communist presidents. Václav Klaus placed second, current President Petr Pavel third and Miloš Zeman fourth.
Pavel’s position has improved slightly in recent months. Respondents gave his presidency an average mark of 2.7 on the Czech school grading scale, where one is best and five is worst. His average stood at 2.9 in May.
Pavel praised abroad, less successful at home
Respondents rated Pavel most positively for his public appearances, use of presidential powers and representation of Czech interests abroad.
His weaker areas remained his ability to unite Czech society and resolve conflicts on the domestic political scene. Ratings in nearly all the areas measured improved slightly from the spring survey, according to STEM/MARK.
Pavel’s relationship with parts of the governing coalition has been tense. His dispute with the Motorists party intensified after he refused to appoint its lawmaker Filip Turek as environment minister.
“The current president shows that public opinion evolves over time primarily through momentum, not under the influence of sudden shifts,” STEM/MARK analyst Jan Burianec said.
Burianec described Pavel’s approach as one of “low-tension politics,” which may not generate sharp increases in enthusiasm but also protects him from dramatic falls in support.
Pavel received better ratings from respondents under 30, university graduates and higher-income groups. He was also viewed more favorably by supporters of the opposition parties, including the Civic Democrats, STAN and the Pirates.
Views split along age and education lines
Havel has held the top position in the agency’s surveys for years and receives consistently positive ratings across demographic groups.
His appeal is particularly strong among people with secondary or university education. Younger respondents value his defense of human rights and history of civic engagement, the pollster said.
Zeman, by contrast, is more popular among respondents over 60 and people without a secondary school leaving exam. He remains the president whom the smallest share of respondents rank as the best.
Klaus produces the most even response across different sections of society, making him the least polarizing of the four. That does not mean he receives the highest ratings overall; rather, views of him vary less sharply by demographic and political affiliation.
Pavel and Zeman generate wider divisions. People who rate Havel positively are also highly likely to view Pavel favorably, suggesting an overlap between their respective supporters.
STEM/MARK conducted the online survey of 1,008 adults from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7. The sample was weighted to represent the Czech adult population by factors including age, gender, education, region and size of residence.
