The significant majority of the Czech citizens have confidence in the Czech Army (75 %) and the Police of the Czech Republic (72 %). Compared to the last-year survey, trustfulness of the Police of the Czech Republic has been slightly increased and now is on the historical maximum in the STEM time line and is at the same level as the confidence in the army.  The three-fifth majority of people (60 %) has confidence in NATO, and this value is relatively stable in time. 

The above-cited survey of the STEM Non-profit Institute was carried out on 14th – 30th June 2019 on a representative sample of the Czech citizens over the age of 18 years. The quota sampling method was used in selecting the respondents. A sample of 1004 respondents answered the questions. 253 questioners (PAPI, CAPI) worked on the survey.  The TRENDY survey series is only financed by the resources of STEM and doesn’t depend on any submitter except STEM.

Picture: Graphical illustration of citizen’s confidence in our army, police, NATO and municipal police | STEM agency

Almost three-quarter majority of Czech citizens trusts the Czech Army and the Police of the Czech Republic. These institutions belong to the most trustful institutions (and the measure of their trustfulness is almost doubled compared to the confidence in legislative institutions and institutions of the executive politic power). Trustfulness of the Czech Army has been also strengthening in time; starting from 2013, it is at a stable level of an about three-quarter share of confidence.

There are no significant differences in the level of confidence in the Czech Army, the Police of the Czech Republic and the Municipal Police depending on genders, age or education. And just in case of the Municipal Police, women’s level of confidence (64 %) is higher men’s one (54 %). To finalize the context of the strengthening of the level of confidence in the Police of the Czech Republic, we can say that the growth of the share of confidence occurred especially between young people aged under 29 years, and also in the age group of 30 to 44 years.

Picture: Confidence in NATO from the end of 1994 to the present | STEM agency

The supporters of TOP 09, SPD and KSČM slightly less commonly trust the Czech Army. As regards the Police of the Czech Republic, it is interesting to observe a low level of confidence among the followers of Pirates (a similar attitude can be also watched at the supporters of TOP 09). The followers of different politic parties are not radically different in the level of confidence in the Municipal Police; the share of confidence in the Municipal Police is just a little higher among the followers of STAN, Pirates and ANO. 

Trustfulness of NATO in the Czech public opinion, according to the STEM time line, doesn’t experience any significant fluctuations, steadily hovers at a level slightly above more than half a share (we might add that since 2009 confidence in NATO has continued to be higher than confidence in the European Union).

Picture: The supporters of TOP 09, SPD and KSČM slightly less commonly trust the Czech Army | STEM agency

The level of confidence in NATO is significantly higher among the people with higher education degrees (72 %). A slightly lower, although more than half, a share of confidence in NATO is among the people over 60 (53 %).

Confidence in NATO continues to be significantly conditioned by the politic orientation of the respondents; a clear majority of the sympathizers is among the supporters of Pirates, ODS, KDU-ČSL, STAN and TOP 09. On the contrary, non-confidence clearly predominates on the side of the supporters of KSČM and SPD.

Data source: STEM agency