Czech presidential candidate Fischer increasing lead in polls

Fischer's poll ratings have been growing since the moment economist Jan Svejnar withdrew from the race in August.

The second place would go to former prime minister Milos Zeman with 21.9 percent.

As a result, Fischer and Zeman would advance to the second round of the presidential election.

There is a wide gap between them and the rest of the candidates.

The third place was assumed by tourism businessman Tomio Okamura with 7.9 percent.

He is followed by leader of TOP 09, Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, and Social Democrat (CSSD) deputy chairman Jiri Dienstbier with 6.6 percent and 6.5 percent, respectively.

Vladimir Franz, a painter and composer with tattoos all over his body, is popular with 4.5 percent of Czechs and a similar proportion of votes would be cast for the head of the extra-parliamentary Sovereignty party Jana Bobosikova and the Senate deputy chairman, official candidate of the Civic Democratic Party (ODS), Premysl Sobotka.

The first Czech direct presidential election is scheduled for January 11-12, 2013.

The poll was conducted on a sample of almost 1,000 Czechs over 18 on October 4-11.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz