Internet poll shows 77 percent opposition to coalition deal

Seventy-seven percent of Prague citizens are opposed to a coalition between the Civic Democrats and Social Democrats to govern the city for the next four years according to a lightning internet survey by the SANEP polling agency. Sixty-five percent of respondents said the coalition deal announced on Tuesday was based on corruption. The coalition deal follows local elections in October during which the TOP 09 party pushed the right-wing Civic Democrats into second place in the capital for the first time in 20 years but fell short of an overall majority in the assembly. The Civic Democrats’ long time rule in the capital has become tainted by suspicions of corruption. Around two thousand people protested against the coalition deal in Prague on Wednesday.

TOP 09 chairman and Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg warned on Thursday that coalitions between the Civic Democrats and Social Democrats in many Czech cities would have an impact on the government coalition at national level. He said relations would continue with the Civic Democrats but TOP 09 would not be as accommodating.

Author: Chris Johnstone