Poll: ANO would win elections now, TOP 09, STAN would be ousted

Prague, March 4 (CTK) - ANO would win the Czech general election with 33 percent of the vote, if held in February, while TOP 09 and the Mayors and Independents (STAN) would end below the threshold and would be ousted from the lower house, according to a public opinion poll released by Czech Television (CT) on Sunday.

The government ANO movement would strengthen its position at the cost of the Freedom and Direct Democracy movement (SPD) and the Communists (KSCM), which, too, would enter the Chamber of Deputies, the poll, which the Kantar TNS agency conducted for CT, showed.

The Social Democrats (CSSD) slightly improved their position, and the last party to re-enter the Chamber would be the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).

ANO would gain 3.5 percent more compared with its result in the October 2017 general election.

The SPD, with 8.5-percent-support in the fresh poll, lost 2 percent as against its October election result.

The KSCM, with 6.5 percent in February, lost 1.5 percent.

According to Kantar TNS's analyst Pavel Ranocha, PM Andrej Babis's ANO continues siphoning off voters mainly from the SPD and the KSCM.

The Pirates see their position slightly improve by 1.5 percentage points. They would end second, after ANO, if elections were held in February.

The Civic Democrats (ODS) would end third with 12 percent, a 0.5-percent increase compared with their October election gain.

The CSSD strengthened by about 2 percentage points compared with its 7.3 percent in October.

The KDU-CSL saw its election prospects at 5 percent, one percent fewer than its election result.

Five percent is the parliament entry threshold.

TOP 09 and STAN would gain 4.5 percent each in February, and neither of them would re-enter the Chamber of Deputies.

Election turnout in February would be 75 percent, which is influenced by the recent post-election developments, the pollsters said.

Ranocha said three fifths of ANO's supporters are firmly convinced fans of ANO.

The poll was conducted on 1200 people from February 3 to February 23.