Libertas (Czech Republic)

Libertas.cz is a eurosceptic party in the Czech Republic that was founded in 2009 by the former media entrepreneur and MEP Vladimír Železný. After some controversies it became an associate of Declan Ganley's pan-European alliance Libertas.eu.

Libertas.cz
LeaderVladimír Železný[1][2]
FoundedJanuary 21, 2009[2]
HeadquartersDlouhá 12, 110 00 Prague 1[3]
IdeologyAnti-Lisbon Treaty
Euroscepticism
European affiliationLibertas.eu
Coloursblue, gold
Website
voltelibertas.cz

History

After comprehensive negotiations with president Václav Klaus and other leading Czech eurosceptics, Ganley's attempts to bring about a Czech branch of Libertas.eu remained unsuccessful. The newly founded Party of Free Citizens, which was endorsed by Klaus, unexpectedly refused to cooperate with Ganley's pan-European alliance, leaving the name Libertas unclaimed in the Czech Republic.

This enabled the former media mogul Vladimír Železný, a eurosceptic Member of the European Parliament[4] to register a party under exactly the designated name by January 21, 2009.[2] It remained unclear whether the registration had been accomplished in some way on behalf of the European Libertas.eu[2] or without any consent.[1]

Supporters of Železný's Libertas.cz included Jana Bobošíková[5] and Vlastimil Tlustý but not Declan Ganley and his followers, who promptly disavowed the party.[6][7] However, after Václav Klaus intervened,[8] two MPs, Vlastimil Tlustý and Jan Schwippel, changed sides, leaving ODS and joining Železný's Libertas.cz.[9][10] This led the European Libertas.eu to a volte-face, now claiming Železný's Libertas.cz an affiliate.[11]

2009 European Parliament elections

The list fielded by Libertas.cz in the 2009 European Parliament elections contained the following 29 candidates:

Code Party Number of candidates % Source
172 Nezávislí demokraté 19 65.52 [12]
99 no party affiliation 6 20.69 [12]
53 Občanská demokratická strana 1 3.45 [12]
713 Libertas.cz 2 6.90 [12]
701 Doktoři (za uzdravení společnosti) 1 3.45 [12]

The list contained the nineteen candidates from Železný's other party (Nezávislí demokraté), six independents (including Jan Schwippel, now disavowed ODS), one ODS (Vlastimil Tlustý), and three other candidates.

The number of candidates elected was zero.[13]

See also

References
  1. "Železný: O jedničce na kandidátce Libertas.cz rozhodnou Češi, ne Irové". zpravy.idnes.cz. 24 January 2009.
  2. "Lidovky.cz: Czech MEP Železný establishes Libertas.cz movement", January 21, 2009, Prague Monitor
  3. "Libertas.cz: Contact details". Archived from the original on 2009-05-27.
  4. "Czech Libertas recruit has conviction for evading duty". Irish Times, Thursday. January 22, 2009.
  5. "Euro Watch: Cyclone Klaus hits Europe", February 5, 2009, Prague Post
  6. "Lidovky.cz: Czech MEP's Libertas appears without Ganley's knowledge" Archived 2009-02-21 at the Wayback Machine 23 January 2009, Prague Monitor
  7. "Libertas faces UK electoral hurdle over party name". Irish Times, Friday. January 23, 2009.
  8. "Czech president meets MEPs from eurosceptical group", March 5, 2009, Prague Monitor
  9. "Czech rebel MPs to join Libertas.cz and run in EP elex", 14:40 31 March 2009, aktualne.centrum.cz
  10. "Fleet Sheet: Today´s news: 1.4.2009 09:38 Archived 2009-04-08 at the Wayback Machine", from fleet-sheet.respekt.cz
  11. "MPs who voted against Czech government join Libertas list for European Parliament elections Archived April 3, 2009, at the Wayback Machine", 1 April 2009 21:00, libertas.eu Archived June 4, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Kandidáti dle politické příslušnosti | volby.cz".
  13. "Results: Czech Republic". Archived from the original on 2009-06-11.
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