How do Russians really feel about using nuclear weapons after the invasion of Ukraine? Despite constant threats from the Kremlin and rising global tensions, support for a nuclear strike against NATO has barely shifted. This study from Michal Smetana and Michal Onderčo uncovers why public opinion has stayed so stable.
New publication: Friends as neighbors? Geographic closeness improves support to other governments
Our newest study from Michal Onderčo finds that geographic proximity significantly influences public support for aiding friendly nations under attack. Using survey experiments in Japan and Czechia, they show that people are more likely to support military and non-military interventions when the conflict is perceived as nearby. While Japanese respondents strongly supported aid to Taiwan, Czech support declined for distant crises. The study highlights that perceived distance, not just actual geography, shapes public opinion, with important implications for international alliances and crisis response planning.
New publication: Elite-public gaps in attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
We conducted a survey of Czech citizens and members of parliament on attitudes towards Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The results show that parliamentarians are more supportive of pro-Israel policies, blame Palestinians more for the conflict and view Czech-Israel relations more positively than the general population. Our findings provide the first empirical evidence of a gap between elite and public attitudes towards Israel, contributing to debates on foreign policy preferences.
New Report: Czech Public and Israel 2023–2024
We are happy to publish the new report called Czech People and Israel 2023-2024 in collaboration with the Herzl Center for Israeli Studies!
The report compares public opinion surveys from January 2023 and January 2024, as well as a survey of political elites at the turn of 2022-2023. Key findings reveal a notable increase in Czech public’s rise in support for recognizing Palestine as an independent state, alongside a distinct polarization in opinions regarding the responsibilities in the conflict.