One-third of citizens trust the Chamber of Deputies (33 %) and the same proportion of the population trusts its Speaker Jan Hamáček. Trust in the upper house of the Czech parliament is also at the same level. Only Chairman of the Senate Milan Štěch has a slightly higher trust rating among the public, at 38 %. Nonetheless, since 2015 levels of public trust in both Jan Hamáček and Milan Štěch have decreased somewhat, by 4 percentage points and 8 percentage points, respectively.The survey cited here was conducted by the STEM non-profit institute (www.stem.cz) on a representative sample of the Czech population aged 18 and over from 30 November to 12 December 2016. Respondents were selected using a quota sampling method, with some 1,020 people taking part in the survey.In its survey at the end of 2016, STEM took a look at public levels of trust in the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of the Czech parliament. People were also asked if they trusted the chairmen of these two institutions.The level of trust in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate is at one-third of the population. The same proportion of citizens also trusts Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Hamáček. Chairman of the Senate Milan Štěch has a somewhat higher trust rating, at almost two-fifths of the public.
Source: STEM, Trendy 2016/12, 1020 respondents
Overall, it can be said that more than half the population (56 %) does not trust either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate. By contrast, almost one-quarter of citizens (23 %) trust both houses of the Czech parliament. The proportion of people who have trust exclusively in one of the Chambers is almost the same for each house (approx. 10 %).Current levels of trust in the Chamber of Deputies are significantly higher than during the previous term of office (in December 2012 only 18% of citizens trusted the Chamber of Deputies). Levels of trust in the Senate have remained relatively stable (December 2012: 30 %).If we compare Jan Hamáček’s trust rating with that of his predecessor Miroslava Němcová, Jan Hamáček had a slightly higher public trust rating during his first year of office. However, while levels of trust in Miroslava Němcová remained relatively stable from 2010 to 2012, we have seen trust in Jan Hamáček drop significantly.On assuming the office of Chairman of the Senate, 40 % of citizens said they trusted Milan Štěch (similar to his predecessor Přemysl Sobotka at the end of his term of office – in September 2010, Sobotka had a 41 % trust rating). In 2011 and 2012 levels of public trust in Milan Štěch fell and it was not until 2013 that his trust rating returned to the level it was at when he assumed office. After a two-year period of stability, the current survey again shows a decline in trust.
Source: STEM, Trends 2010-2016(2015: trust in J. Hamáček – September survey, trust in M. Štěch – November survey)
As far as political parties view is concerned, levels of trust in the two Houses of Parliament are significantly higher among Christian Democrat (KDU-ČSL) and Social Democrat (ČSSD) supporters. The data even suggests that Christian Democrat supporters are more likely to trust Chamber of Deputies Speaker Jan Hamáček than his native Social Democrats supporters. Concerning the proportion of ANO supporters who said they trusted the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate and Speaker Jan Hamáček is lower than among supporters of their coalition partners. Nonetheless, trust ratings are even lower among Communist Party (KSČM), STAN and SPD* supporters.*ČSSD is the ruling Czech Socialist Democratic Party; ANO is a centrist party and major junior coalition partner; KDU-ČSL is the Christian Democrats and junior coalition partner; STAN is the center-right party of Mayors and Independents; KSČM is the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia; SPD is a party pledging for direct democracy and referendum based democratic decision making.
