Trust in the state on record low

The trust of the Czech population in the state apparatus is the lowest since the beginning of the pandemic, survey shows.

According to the National Pandemic Alarm (NPA) project, which has been monitoring society's sentiments with regard to the coronavirus pandemic, Czech citizens lack a political authority to which they would entrust decisions on anti-epidemic measures.

The index of trust in the state is at 35 points out of a hundred. It has fallen by seven points since the start of this year and has reached its lowest level since the beginning of monitoring in mid-March last year. At that time, the index was at 65 points.

People aged 25-34 have the least trust in the government. The cabinet is generally considered untrustworthy by citizens under the age of 54 and respondents from large cities.

More than a third of Czechs do not know to whom they would entrust decisions regarding the anti-epidemic restrictions. 13% would trust their governor a 12% the Chief Hygienist, Jarmila Rážová.

7% of respondents would leave decision-making to Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO), 6% to his recently fired advisor, epidemiologist Roman Prymula and 5% to Pirate leader Ivan Bartoš. All other politicians, including the Minister of Health Jan Blatný (for ANO), gained less than 5% in the survey.