Czechs’ Confidence in the EU Wanes, Reveals Recent Survey

According to a new survey conducted by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CVVM), Czech citizens’ trust in various international organizations has experienced a decline.

The poll revealed a drop in confidence in the European Union (EU) from 58% to 46% compared to the previous year, alongside significant decreases in trust for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (UN), down to 56% and 52% respectively.

The survey, carried out by CVVM between late March and late May of this year, highlighted the interconnected nature of trust in these organizations.

Individuals who expressed trust in one of these bodies were more likely to trust the other two as well, although the link between trust in the EU and the UN appeared slightly weaker compared to the connection between NATO and the EU.

This year’s survey revealed a prevailing sense of distrust in the EU, with half of the respondents expressing negative sentiments towards the organization.

Another 4% of participants indicated that they were unsure. Additionally, 36% expressed mistrust in NATO, while 37% lacked trust in the UN. These figures represented an 11-percentage-point decrease from the previous year, which saw 67% of Czechs placing their trust in NATO and 63% in the United Nations.

The Center for Public Opinion Research noted that trust levels in the UN and NATO had returned to those observed in 2020 and 2021. Between 2003 and 2011, confidence in the EU among Czech citizens remained around 55%, reaching a peak of 64% in 2004 but experiencing a significant drop in 2007.

Notably, trust in the EU saw its most substantial decline in 2012 and 2016, dropping to 40% and 37% respectively, which the study authors attributed to economic and migration crises. Trust levels saw a significant increase last year but have now fallen back to levels seen in 2017.

In terms of NATO, the period between 2003 and 2009 marked the least trustworthy years, while trust in the organization equaled that of the EU in 2010 and slightly surpassed it in subsequent years until 2020. In last year’s survey, trust levels in the UN, NATO, and the EU were nearly equal.

Historically, the UN has been the most trusted organization among respondents, although trust declined from a record high of 70% in 2004 to 55% in 2007. Trust in the UN fluctuated over the years but reached 68% in 2015.

CVVM conducted the survey between March 27 and May 22 of this year, collecting responses from 834 individuals aged 15 and older.