Half of Czechs see foreigners as a problem for the country – poll

According to a new poll by the Center for Public Opinion Research (CVVM) agency released this week, half of Czechs view the arrival of foreign nationals as a problem for the country, though only one-fifth see them as an issue in their own communities.

Statisticians cautioned that the results are not directly comparable to previous surveys due to a change in methodology.

“Overall, agreement with negative statements about the influence of foreigners living long-term in the Czech Republic prevails, while positive views are in the minority,” CVVM noted.

Women and people over 55 are more likely to hold negative views. Among women, 54 percent see foreigners as a national problem, while 33 percent disagree. Among men, the prevailing opinion is that foreigners are not a problem.

Respondents with higher education levels, a stronger sense of personal and national security, satisfaction with their living standards, and approval of the political situation were more likely to express positive views. People aged 20 to 29 were the most welcoming of foreigners.

Just 21 percent of respondents said foreigners were a problem in their local area, while 59 percent said they were not. About 14 percent said they could not judge, as there are no foreigners living in their community.

Higher concern about foreigners was recorded in the Plzeň, Olomouc, Hradec Králové, Pardubice and Prague regions. Residents of the Moravia-Silesia, Zlín, Karlovy Vary, and South Moravia regions were less likely to perceive foreigners as a local problem.

Nationwide, nearly half of respondents said foreigners pose a health risk and contribute to increased crime. However, 43 percent agreed that immigrants have a positive impact on economic development.

Roughly one-third said foreigners threaten their way of life, and about a quarter believe they contribute to higher unemployment. Conversely, one-third said foreigners help address the aging population, and one-quarter said they enrich Czech culture.

Politically, voters of the Together (Spolu) coalition, Pirates, and Mayors and Independents (STAN) were more likely to view foreigners positively. Negative views were more common among voters of ANO and the Freedom and Direct Democracy party, Tricolour, the Free Party, and the Communists. Similar patterns were seen in local-level attitudes.

The survey was conducted between May 30 and June 12 with 1,712 respondents.