Poll: Politicians’ decisions motivated by corruption

The Czech public at large takes an overall dim view of what motivates politicians in their decision making and feels that they should be held to a high standard. When it comes to making politicians step down, the public is willing to overlook marital infidelities and minor offenses, but criminal convictions are frowned upon greatly, a poll by the Public Opinion Research Center (CVVM) reveals.

“The biggest influence on political decision making is [thought to be] bribery and corruption, followed by interest groups and lobbies,” said CVVM analyst Gabriela Šamanová. On a scale of one to seven, with one being most important and seven not at all important, some 32 percent of respondents ranked bribery and corruption at one.

Overall, 83 percent ranked it between one and three; only 1 percent gave it a seven. The average score was 2.29, the lowest since January 2002, when the question was first asked. But the average has been dropping steadily: It was 2.78 in 2002, which still qualified for first place. By March 2010 it already hit 2.32, so the recent political scandals have done little to affect the long-term declining trend.

Special interests and lobby groups were next, with 69 percent ranking it as important — between one and three. Then came the media, wtih 51 percent ranking it as important, but just 9 percent giving it a one.

The rest of the reasons included in the poll were not ranked as being important by a majority of respondents. Strikes and demonstrations were seen as important by 46 percent. This was followed by (in descending order) voters for the politician’s party, poll results, scientists and experts, and, in last place, citizens. This final category had just 2 percent ranking it at one, and 24 percent between one and three.

“A relatively small effect is attributed to polls, experts and citizens, the latter had 19 percent say ‘seven,’ so virtually no effect,” Šamanová said.

Compared with previous years, the results show that all of the categories were seen as slightly more important — on average closer to one — than in previous years. This oddly shows popular belief that negative motivating factors like corruption have become more important and positive motivating factors like citizens and scientific opinion have also become more important in determining political decisions.

The only significant change in this year’s results, however, was that strikes and demonstrations overtook fourth place from party voters in the overall ranking.