Commentary
International Relations
Trump’s Second Term a Crossroads for Central Europe – COMMENTARY
6 November 2024
18 May 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a shift in perceptions regarding the euro in Czechia. More than before, Czechs now prefer to be a member of the eurozone. The issue is likely to become a pressing issue in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in October.
Support for the eurozone is higher than ever in Central Europe. According to the latest Eurobarometer poll, support for the single currency has leapt by 19 points in the Czech Republic over the last year, to 40 per cent wanting to swap the Czech crown for the euro.
In nearby Hungary, support for joining the eurozone has been high for the last two years and now stands at 63 per cent.
Given the EU’s at-times chaotic handling of the pandemic, such positive perceptions of the single currency may come as a surprise.