A total of 42% of Czech citizens believe that it is easy to obtain a firearms licence in the Czech Republic, up 16 percentage points since 2017, according to a STEM/MARK poll.
According to the agency, the change in public opinion is most likely due to the last December shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University, where a student killed 14 people and wounded 25 before shooting himself dead. Among other reasons, this is also why 64% of Czechs were in favour of stricter gun ownership laws, which would include mandatory psychological tests, stricter medical examinations, and the right of police to seize weapons under certain circumstances.
According to the polling agency’s findings, there is roughly balanced support and opposition for the current legislation for the acquisition and ownership of firearms in the Czech Republic, with around 40% for each.
However, less than a third of the public have a detailed understanding of gun laws. Those who know the law well are more satisfied with it, but people who know the law only vaguely or not at all are more often dissatisfied.
According to the pollsters, the dissatisfaction with the legislation can therefore be understood as a perception of its consequences and impact on the lives of others, rather than dissatisfaction with the wording of the law.
In the spring, President Petr Pavel signed the new law on weapons and ammunition, which requires gun dealers to report suspicious transactions, allows firearms to be confiscated because of security risks, and shortens the validity of medical examinations for gun owners.
Due to the digitisation of the central arms register, and its interconnection with other registers, it will not come into force until 2026. However, in response to last year’s tragedy at the university, the government has prepared an amendment to the existing arms law which includes some parts of the new legislation.
In the STEM/MARK poll, 87% of people agreed with the introduction of mandatory psychological tests for gun owners, 72% were in favour of stricter medical checks, and almost 60% were in favour of the right of police to seize weapons in justified cases. Almost 90% of people would like to see the introduction of a register of firearms holders.
However, Czechs support the availability of firearm licences.
According to 44% of respondents, everyone who meets the conditions should get a licence; 41% think that only those who have a reason for it, such as professional purposes, should be permitted to own firearms, and the remaining 15% have no opinion on the matter.
At the same time, 52% of people believe that a gun in the hands of a properly trained civilian is not dangerous. 40% disagree, and 7% have no clear opinion on the matter.
STEM/MARK conducted the survey on a sample of 504 people aged 15 to 64 in late June.
