Poll: Fischer still a favourite presidential candidate

Prague, Sept 6 (CTK) - Jan Fischer, former caretaker cabinet head and statistical office director, is the clear favourite of the Czech direct presidential election, according to a Median poll released to CTK yesterday.

The poll showed that Fischer (unaffiliated) is supported by 34 percent citizens.

The second most popular candidate is former socialist prime minister Milos Zeman (now Party of Citizens' Rights, SPOZ), supported by 20.5 percent, and unaffiliated economist Jan Svejnar, with a 10-percent support.

Social Democrat (CSSD) deputy chairman Jiri Dienstbier and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg (TOP 09 leader) won support from 5 percent each.

They are followed by Senate deputy chairman Premysl Sobotka (Civic Democrats, ODS; 5 percent), economist and former minister Vladimir Dlouhy (unaffiliated; 4.5 percent), former MEP Jana Bobosikova (Sovereignty; 4 percent), and activist and former MP Tana Fischerova (unaffiliated; 3.5 percent).

If no candidate wins a majority in the first round of the election, the two most successful candidates will advance to the second round.

As a result, one of the crucial factors may be how acceptable individual candidates are for the voters.

Fischer was among the three most acceptable candidates the most often as 54 percent of the respondents mentioned his name. Zeman was included in "the acceptable trio" by 37 percent, Svejnar by 22.5 percent and Dlouhy by 16.5 percent.

The election turnout would be 70.5 percent, according to the poll.

The election will be held early next year. Czech citizens will elect their president directly for the first time. The mandate of outgoing President Vaclav Klaus will expire in March 2013.

The Median poll was conducted on 968 persons in August.