Elite-Public Attitude Gaps toward Israel: New Evidence from a Survey of Czech Parliamentarians and Citizens
Abstract
The Czech Republic is often considered a strongly pro-Israeli country. However, it remains less clear whether these sentiments are equally embraced by both political elites and the general public.
An increasing number of academic studies highlight elite-public gaps concerning attitudes toward foreign policy matters. To get a more comprehensive understanding of pro-Israel attitudes in the Czech Republic, we conducted surveys targeting both elites and the general public.
Our findings indicate that, indeed, while political elites, regardless of their political affiliations, tend to exhibit strong pro-Israeli inclinations, public attitudes show lesser support for pro-Israeli stances and policies. We attribute this disparity between elite and public positions to the process of socialization.