Slovakia has fallen from first to tenth place in Czech public opinion, marking a dramatic shift in sentiment toward a country long considered Czechia’s closest partner.
According to a new survey by the STEM research institute, only 61 percent of Czechs now give Slovakia top marks, down 10 percentage points from last year, while negative ratings have increased notably.
This is the first time since the survey began in the 1990s that Slovakia has not held the top spot in Czech perceptions of foreign countries. Switzerland now occupies first place, with countries such as Canada, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, and Denmark also ranking higher than Slovakia.
As reported by the TASR news agency, the deterioration in Slovakia’s standing is widely attributed to recent political developments, particularly the return of Robert Fico as prime minister and the replacement of former president Zuzana Čaputová with Peter Pellegrini.
STEM noted that Czech attitudes toward Slovaks as people have remained stable, suggesting the shift is political rather than cultural.
Peter Pellegrini, who took office in June 2024, is viewed positively by only 38 percent of Czech respondents, compared to 68 percent for Čaputová during the final year of her presidency. STEM analysts observed that many Czechs had not formed an opinion of Pellegrini at the time of his election, but over the past year, negative views of him have risen by 10 percentage points.
“The significant decline in the positive assessment following the downward trend of the previous two years is primarily related to the current political events in the country, where relations with the Czech Republic have cooled down after the fourth government of Robert Fico took office in the autumn of 2023,” said STEM analyst Silvia Petty.
“In June 2024, the long-popular president Zuzana Čaputová was replaced by Peter Pellegrini, who does not enjoy much favor in our country even after a year in office.”
The survey, which asks Czechs to rate countries and foreign leaders using school grades, found growing polarization in perceptions of Slovakia. While a clear majority still view the country positively, the drop in top ratings and the rise in negative ones mark a significant departure from previous years.
Pope Francis was the highest-rated international figure in the poll, which was conducted shortly before his death. He was followed by outgoing Polish President Andrzej Duda, who improved by seven points over the previous year. Russian President Vladimir Putin remained the least favorably viewed.
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