Educated, faithful to tradition and independent of the political party – according to the participants of the latest poll for Radio ZET, the ideal candidate for president should be. The survey also asked Poles about the preferred age, gender, orientation and religion of the head of state.
What should the ideal candidate for the president of Poland be like? According to the results of the latest survey for Radio ZET, he should have higher education, support traditional values and remain politically neutral. For most people, it is also important that the candidate is heterosexual and represents the younger generation. It doesn't necessarily have to be a man. His religion as a candidate for the position of head of state remains of little importance to the respondents.
The perfect candidate for president
When asked about the characteristics of an ideal candidate, survey participants were most consistent when asked whether he or she should “support the views of the party he or she is associated with.” As many as 78 percent of them answered in the negative, arguing that the ideal candidate “should remain neutral.” 18 percent of respondents answered affirmatively, and another 4 percent said “I don't know, it doesn't matter.”
A high degree of unanimity among the respondents could also be observed in the case of the question about education. 76 percent of them believe that the ideal candidate should have a higher education. 19 percent of respondents have a different opinion, and 5 percent of them do not have a specific opinion on this matter.
For 61 percent of respondents, it does not matter what gender the candidate is. 35 percent see only a man in this role, and 4 percent only see a woman. Most respondents do not pay attention to the religion of the person running for president. 61 percent of respondents argue that it does not have to be religious. 26 percent of survey participants have the opposite opinion, and another 12 percent have no opinion on this matter.
Young but traditional
Exactly half of the survey participants believe that the ideal presidential candidate should “rather represent the younger generation.” 12 percent of respondents see a person from the older generation in this role, and 38 percent answer the question about age “I don't know, it doesn't matter.”
47 percent of respondents believe that the ideal candidate should support traditional values. 38 percent of survey participants would like support for “bold moral changes” in the candidate running for president. For another 14 percent, this issue is indifferent.
When asked whether the ideal presidential candidate should have his own family, understood as having a wife or husband and children, 46 percent answer affirmatively. Another 41 percent do not consider it necessary. For 13 percent, this issue is not important.
As part of the survey, participants were also asked about the candidate's preferred sexual orientation. 45 percent of them indicated heterosexual orientation. Another 34 percent said “it doesn't have to be heterosexual” and 21 percent said “I don't know, it doesn't matter.”
The study was carried out using the mixed mode method (CATI and CAWI) on a sample of 1,000 Poles aged 18 and over on November 13-18, 2024.
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