The Spolu coalition won the mock elections among secondary school students over 15, ahead of the Pirates and the Mayors and Independents (STAN). The parties that had formed the cabinet four years ago got a combined 58% of the vote, said People in Need, who staged the poll.
Only the Motorists and ANO would also enter the lower house of parliament, if students were to decide. Stacilo! and Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) received less than 3% of the vote each.
Spolu, including the Civic Democrats (ODS), Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and TOP 09, won 20.6%, the Pirates 19.7%, STAN 18%, the Motorists 12.6% and ANO 9.7%.
The student elections were held in 637 schools and 90,820 students cast their votes on Wednesday and Thursday.
The parties of the current government coalition dominated especially at grammar schools, where they received 75.9% in total, but at secondary professional schools they won only 21.9%, and the Motorists and ANO were far more successful, winning 23.4 and 23.8%.
In most Czech regions, Spolu, the Pirates and STAN were the most successful. In the Karlovy Vary, Vysocina, South Moravia, Olomouc and Zlin regions, the Motorists were the third most popular.
The Kantar agency calculated the votes in the student elections.
Student elections to the lower house of parliament were held in the country for the first time in 2010. Later on, there were also mock municipal, regional, presidential and EU elections. Student elections are always held a few weeks before the real elections, in which people over 18 can vote. This year’s general election will take place on 3-4 October.
In 2021, the coalition of the Pirates and the STAN won the student elections, with 30.4%, closely ahead of Spolu with 29.4%, ANO with 8.5% and the Greens with 7.1%.
With the student election, People in Need intends to outline the principles of democracy to young people and familiarise them with the election system of the country, with the programmes and individual candidates. They also want to contribute to the active and responsible citizenship of future voters. Apart from this, student elections provide information on students’ attitudes and opinions, the organisers said.
