According to a recent poll by the Public Opinion Research Center (CVVM), Czechs continue to have the most positive view of Slovaks out of all national groups living in the country. This sentiment is shared by 79% of respondents, followed by the Vietnamese at 50%, Poles at 47%, and Hungarians at 33%. On the other hand, the Roma and Arab communities have long been viewed the most negatively by Czechs.

Interestingly, the CVVM poll found that Czechs’ views on Russians have become more negative since 2020, while their view of Ukrainians remains almost unchanged. In the 2020 poll, 25% of people expressed sympathy for Russians, but that figure has dropped to 15%, while antipathy towards them has risen from 34% to 48%. Antipathy towards Ukrainians, on the other hand, has fallen from 35% to 32%.

The report also shows that overall, the proportion of Czechs with negative views of foreigners living in the Czech Republic is the lowest in 20 years. However, around 50% of the population described people of other nationalities as a problem for the whole of the country. Only 35% of Czechs do not consider newcomers of other nationalities a problem.

According to the CVVM pollsters, the most significant change in attitudes towards Russians was observed among university graduates, where there was an 18 percentage point increase in those with negative views. Meanwhile, the youngest generation showed a 27 percentage point increase in those who consider Ukrainians likeable.

It is worth noting that the Czech Republic was significantly impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine last year, which resulted in the arrival of thousands of refugees from Ukraine. This event may have played a role in the shift in attitudes towards Russians observed in the poll.

In conclusion, the CVVM poll provides valuable insights into Czechs’ views on different national groups living in the country. While Slovaks continue to be viewed positively, there has been a shift in attitudes towards Russians, likely due to the events in Ukraine. The poll also shows that while negative views of foreigners living in the Czech Republic have decreased, many still view people of other nationalities as a problem for the country.

Article by Prague Forum