Poll: President's public approval declines

Prague, Feb 9 (CTK) - Czech President Vaclav Klaus gives respect to the presidential office and fulfils his constitutional duties, but he does not know citizens' problems, according to a poll conducted by the polling institute CVVM in January and released yesterday.

Klaus's public image considerably worsened in the past year.

CVVM has been evaluating Klaus's work in its polls since 2004.

Klaus was elected in 2003 and re-elected in 2008.

The latest was held on January 9-16.

Like in the previous years, most Czechs gave a positive assessment to his effort to increase the respect to and dignity of the presidential office. The view is held by 70 percent of them.

However, he has thus scored his worst result since last year, some 80 percent of Czechs gave a positive assessment to him in this sphere and in 2004 even 89 percent.

The biggest slump was recorded in Klaus's representation of the Czech Republic abroad.

A year ago, almost three-quarters of Czechs agreed with the view that he represents well the country abroad, but now it is only 58 percent.

In this case, too, it has been Klaus's worst result since 2004.

Like in the previous years, Klaus was given the worst assessment when the respondents were asked about his influencing political life and contact with the general public.

Only 45 percent of Czechs have appreciated Klaus's influence on Czech political life and a mere one-third are of the view that he is in contact with Czechs and knows their problems.

He is considered a good authority by 57 percent of Czechs.

On the other hand, some 73 percent of Czechs gave a positive assessment to Klaus's fulfilling his constitutional duties.

Well-off people, voters of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), TOP 09 and Public Affairs (VV) generally tend to give a better assessment to Klaus's public performance, while those of the opposition Social Democrats and Communists are rather critical of him.