Poll: Fischer, Švejnar still favourites of presidential election

Prague, June 26 (CTK) - Unaffiliated candidates Jan Fischer and Jan Svejnar would advance to the second round of the Czech presidential election with 25.3 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively, according to a poll conducted by the polling institute Factum Invenio in June and released yesterday.

The third place would go to former Social Democrat prime minister Milos Zeman, now honorary chairman of the extra-parliamentary Party of Citizens' Rights of Milos Zeman (SPOZ), with 13.4 percent.

None of the candidates would thus receive the required one-half of votes, but Fischer with Svejnar would advance to the second round.

Fischer's popularity has increased by 1.2 percent over the May result, while that of Svejnar has stagnated.

In the spring, Zeman somewhat closed the gap behind Fischer and Svejnar, but then the growth in his support stopped, remaining on the May level.

According to the Factum Invenio's poll, tourism businessman Tomio Okamura would be elected by 8.8 percent of Czechs.

However, Okamura, who is partly of Japanese extraction, has announced he will first run in the autumn Senate elections and only after them he will make up his mind on whether to run for president.

The chances of the official candidate of the opposition Social Democrats (CSSD) Jiri Dienstbier have significantly increased, by 2.6 percent to 8.5 percent.

He is followed by head of the extra-parliamentary anti-European Sovereignty party Jana Bobosikova with 7.6 percent.

The support to Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, leader of the conservative TOP 09, fell from 8 to 5.2 percent. He is followed by former CNB central bank governor Zdenek Tuma with 4 percent and Senate deputy chairman Premysl Sobotka (Civic Democratic Party, ODS) with 3.1 percent.

The rest of the candidates did not cross the 3 percent limit.

Factum Invenio conducted the poll on a sample of almost 1,000 Czechs over 18 on June 14-26.

The voter turnout is estimated at 65.5 percent.

According to a poll conducted by the agency Median, Zeman has assumed second place behind Fischer, while Svejnar is third.

The poll by the agency Millward Brown for daily Lidove noviny put Svejnar in first place, trailed by Fischer and Schwarzenberg.

The last possible term of President Vaclav Klaus ends next March. The first direct election is to be held between January 6 and February 5, 2013. The previous presidents have been elected by both houses of the Czech parliament, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.