Over four-fifths of the population (83 %) do not consider the level of old-age pensions in this country to be adequate. According to almost three-quarters of citizens (74 %), the average old-age pension fails to cover the basic needs of the elderly. Four-fifths of the population (81 %) do not think that the current pension system allows people to live in dignity in their old age. Over three-fifths of respondents (63 %) believe that the political leadership of the country underestimates the provision of social security to citizens. There have been no fundamental changes in public perception of this issue since the May 2015 survey. This survey was conducted by the STEM non-profit institute (www.stem.cz) on a representative sample of the Czech population aged 18 and over from 13 to 21 June 2016. Respondents were selected using a quota sampling method, with some 1,061 people taking part in the survey.Czech politicians have given relatively little attention to pension policy in recent years, and any consideration given to this issue has been rather careless and hit and miss and linked primarily to increasing current pension levels alone. No significant changes are actually taking place in the area of pension policy. It is not surprising, then, that Czech public opinion has been critical of the current pension system for a long time. Over four-fifths of citizens (83 %) consider the current pensions paid out to senior citizens to be inadequate. A three-quarters majority (74 %) believes that the average old-age pension is insufficient to cover the basic needs of pensioners. Furthermore, four-fifths of respondents (81 %) do not think that the current pension system enables people to spend their old age in a dignified manner.
Opinions on old-age pensions (data in %)
Source: STEM, Trends 6/2016, 1061 respondents
According to the STEM surveys conducted between 1998 and 2002, public opinion on old-age pensions for that period was relatively stable. During those years the majority of citizens were critical of pension levels and their inadequacy in terms of allowing older people to live in dignity. The public was divided into two camps on whether pensions were sufficient to cover basic everyday needs. Since 2003, however, public criticism has been escalating, and was particularly strong in the May 2008 survey. The subsequent improvement in public attitudes towards pension levels ended in 2011, with public satisfaction at its lowest in the November 2014 survey. Since then, surveys have found only a partial improvement in attitudes towards the adequacy of pensions and the issue of whether pensions, at their current level, cover the basic needs of pensioners.
“Do you think that old-age pensions in the Czech Republic are currently adequate?”(sum of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Social Protection 2/1998, Trends 2001-2016
“In your opinion, is the average old-age pension adequate to cover pensioners’ basic needs?” (sum of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Social Protection 2/1998, Trends 2001-2016
“Do you think that the current pension system allows people to live in dignity in their old age?”(sum of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Social Protection 2/1998, Trends 2002-2016
Statistical analysis shows that a somewhat greater proportion of younger people consider pensions to be adequate, but even among this group, this view is clearly in the minority. In terms of the other questions put to respondents, we did not find any significant age-related differences.
“Do you think that old-age pensions in the Czech Republic are currently adequate?”
Source: STEM, Trends 6/2016, 1061 respondents
However, respondents’ opinions on the pensions system differed considerably according to their political orientation. Communist party (KSČM) supporters are most critical. By contrast, a somewhat higher proportion of Christian Democrat (KDU-ČSL) supporters believe that old-age pensions are adequate, are sufficient to cover the basic needs of pensioners and that the current system enables people to live in dignity when they are older. On the issue of whether or not current pension rates are adequate to cover day-to-day needs, supporters of the centrist ANO party and conservative TOP 09 concur with Christian Democrat supporters.
Opinions on old-age pensionsBy political party preference(proportion of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Trends 6/2016, 1061 respondents
Note: Given their low representation in the group, figures for ODS, TOP 09 and KDU-ČSL supporters are only approximate.
ČSSD is the ruling Czech Socialist Democratic Party; ANO is a centrist party and one of the junior coalition partners; KDU-ČSL is the Christian Democrats and one of junior coalition partners; TOP 09 is a conservative opposition party; ODS is the liberal-conservative Civic Democratic Party, a right-wing opposition party; KSČM (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia).To conclude, we will look once again at the findings related more generally to the issue of social protection policy. Over three-fifths of citizens (63 %) believe that the current political leadership underestimates the provision of social security (definitely yes: 26 %, somewhat yes: 27 %, somewhat no: 29 %, definitely no: 8 %). This opinion is currently held by somewhat fewer people than during the economic crisis, but nonetheless the majority of citizens still believe this to be the case.
“Do you think that the current political leadership underestimates the provision of social security to the population?”(sum of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Trends 1993-2016
How do supporters of the various political parties rate the approach taken by the government to the issue of social protection? Communist Party (KSČM) are most critical, followed by Civic Democrat (ODS) supporters. By contrast, supporters of the opposition conservative TOP 09 party are least likely to believe that the current government underestimates the provision of social security. Supporters of the governing parties agree on this issue, although a slight majority of them are of the view that the political leadership is not focusing enough on social protection issues.
“Do you think that the current political leadership underestimates the provision of social security to the population?”By political party preference (proportion of “definitely yes” + “somewhat yes” answers in %)Source: STEM, Trends 6/2016, 1061 respondents
Note: Given their low representation in the group, figures for ODS, TOP 09 and KDU-ČSL supporters are only approximate.
ČSSD is the ruling Czech Socialist Democratic Party; ANO is centrist party and one of the junior coalition partners; KDU-ČSL is the Christian Democrats and one of junior coalition partners; TOP 09 is a conservative opposition party; ODS is the liberal-conservative Civic Democratic Party, a right-wing opposition party; KSČM (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia).
