Social Democrats in front in August opinion poll

The Social Democrats would come first if elections were held now, suggests an opinion poll released by the Factum Invenio agency on Friday. The survey, conducted earlier this month, indicates that the left-of-centre party have the backing of 29.5 percent of the electorate, nearly two points ahead of their main rivals the Civic Democrats. The Communists were supported by 13.4 percent of those polled, while the new party TOP 09 enjoyed the backing of 11.4 percent. The only other grouping that would reach the five percent threshold to enter the lower house were the Christian Democrats, with 6.6 percent.

Czechs go to the polls on October 9 and 10 in early elections which follow the fall of a Civic Democrat-led cabinet in March. Since then a caretaker government has been in place.

Author: Ian Willoughby