Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine since 2022, Czechs are most concerned about Islamic fundamentalism, terrorism, and international organized crime, according to a recent STEM survey. Russian politics and the military conflict itself rank lower on their list of perceived threats.
On a nine-point scale, where 1 represents no danger and 9 signifies a very large threat, 55 percent of respondents consider Islamic fundamentalism a major danger. Terrorism follows closely at 54 percent, while international organized crime is perceived as a significant threat by 50 percent of those surveyed. Russian politics ranks fourth with 38 percent, and the Ukrainian conflict itself concerns only 31 percent of Czechs.
The arrival of refugees and drought are also major concerns, with 31 and 29 percent of respondents citing them as significant threats, respectively. Approximately a quarter of Czechs worry about poverty in developing countries, EU political decisions, climate change, and the situation in Israel and Gaza.
When compared to the 2021 survey, the top three perceived threats remain largely unchanged. However, concerns about Russian politics have noticeably increased since the previous measurement, which was conducted before the war in Ukraine. Fears about US politics have also seen a sharp rise.
Demographic analysis reveals that older people, respondents with lower education, and voters of the ANO movement and especially the SPD party are most concerned about Islamic fundamentalism, international crime, and terrorism. Conversely, voters of government parties and the Pirates express the greatest concern about Russian politics.
Looking toward the near future, Czechs most frequently mentioned illegal migration waves as a potential threat, followed by disinformation and manipulation by foreign states, and more frequent extreme natural disasters. To a lesser extent, people also perceive cyberattacks and economic crisis as potential threats. The survey was conducted from June 12 to 26 and involved 1,059 respondents.