PRAGUE, Dec 17 (Reuters) - The Czech leftist party Social
Democrats (CSSD) extended its lead over the main right-wing
Civic Democrats for a fourth straight month, and ahead of an
election in mid-2010, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The poll by the STEM agency showed backing for the Civic
Democrats (ODS) fell to 20.9 percent in January from 22.5
percent in December, while support for the Social Democrats was
unchanged at 28.7 percent.
The public and the media lambasted ODS for failing to
prevent CSSD from pushing through extra spending in the 2010
budget, ahead of an election in 2010.
The party has been also hobbled by infighting and corruption
scandals in the Prague city all.
Backing for the newly-formed conservative party TOP09 ticked
up to 8.4 percent from 8.3 percent, the poll showed.
The far-left Communists' (KSCM) backing was stable at 10.9
percent.
Support for the Greens, who were part of the previous
political coalition, edged up to 4 percent from 3.8 percent, but
it remained below the 5 percent level, a minimum support to
qualify for parliamentary seats.
The Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) dropped to 4.2 percent
from 5.7 percent, missing the 5 percent threshold.
The centre- and right- leaning parties would not be able to
form a majority coalition.
The Czech Republic is run by a non-partisan government after
the leftist parties toppled a centre-right Civic Democrat-led
coalition government in March.
The CSSD would benefit the most from the present balance of
political support and would have several ways to form a
government, STEM said.
A regular election will take place some time at the end of
May.
DATE INSTITUTE ODS CSSD KSCM TOP09 KDU-CSL Greens
Jan 19/10 STEM 20.9 28.7 10.9 8.4 4.2 4.0
Dec 17/09 CVVM 24.0 34.0 12.5 13.5 4.5 4.5
Dec 17/09 STEM 22.5 28.7 10.9 8.3 5.7 3.8
Nov 19/09 CVVM 26.5 34.5 11.0 12.0 5.0 4.0
Nov 18/09 STEM 23.3 25.4 12.3 8.4 5.1 3.5
Oct 27/09 STEM 25.2 26.2 11.6 8.7 4.1 3.2
Oct 21/09 CVVM 26.0 32.0 15.0 14.0 5.5 4.0
Oct 08/09 CVVM 28.5 32.0 12.0 12.5 6.0 3.0
Oct 02/09 STEM 23.2 27.4 10.6 9.2 4.2 4.6
Sept 16/09 CVVM 29.5 29.5 15.5 13.0 5.5 4.5
Aug 31/09 STEM 24.1 29.0 11.2 6.8 5.7 2.7
Aug 19/09 CVVM 31.0 33.0 13.5 9.5 5.0 3.0
June 25/09 CVVM 35.0 30.0 16.0 2.0 6.5 5.5
June 19/09 STEM 28.3 28.2 12.8 - 6.2 2.7
May 19/09 STEM 23.7 32.4 10.9 - 5.3 5.9
May 19/09 CVVM 29.0 38.0 15.0 - 7.0 6.5
April 15/09 CVVM 28.0 37.5 15.5 - 7.0 7.0
April 15/09 STEM 27.5 35.1 10.5 - 4.4 5.6
March 18/09 CVVM 31.5 36.0 16.0 - 5.0 7.0
March 17/09 STEM 27.8 35.3 11.0 - 6.0 5.3
Feb 18/09 CVVM 29.0 38.5 15.5 - 7.0 6.0
Feb 13/09 STEM 25.5 35.2 11.8 - 6.8 5.1
Jan 28/09 CVVM 29.0 41.0 14.0 - 5.5 7.0
Jan 16/09 STEM 22.5 37.7 9.9 - 6.5 5.8
Dec 19/08 STEM 23.5 38.4 11.4 - 5.4 6.3
Dec 17/08 CVVM 27.0 44.5 14.0 - 6.0 6.0
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June 2006 election 35.4 32.3 12.8 - 7.2 6.3
NOTE. The CVVM poll was conducted between November 30 and
December 7 among 1,023 eligible Czech voters. The STEM poll was
conducted between December 1 and December 9 among 1,260 eligible
Czech voters.
The parties are:
- Civic Democratic Party (ODS) - right-of-centre,
liberal-conservative
- The Czech Social Democratic Party (CSSD) - leftist
- The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSCM) - far left
- The new conservative party TOP 09
- Christian Democratic Union-Czechoslovak People's Party
(KDU-CSL) - centrist
- The Greens - environmentalists, centrist
Pollsters: The CVVM results are based on a model predicting
gains at the ballot box, excluding those not willing to vote and
undecided.
STEM results are direct voter preferences, and include
replies from all respondents including those not willing to
vote. Parties should thus win a larger than indicated share of
the vote at the election.
(Reporting by Jana Mlcochova)
