On 13 November 2025, LIV co-organised a lecture and discussion led by Dr Martin Štefek from Charles University, titled “Transformations of the Party System in the Czech Republic”, that was hosted by the Post-Communist Democratization Course of Assistant Professor Yung-Fan Lin of the Graduate Institute of Russian Studies of National Chengchi University (NCCU). The event offered an academic reflection on the dynamics of the Czech and Central European party systems, with a focus on the rise of illiberalism, populism, and political polarization in the region.
Dr Štefekbegan noted that the quality of democracy in the Czech Republic remains relatively high compared to some of its Central European neighbours. In contrast, the Hungarian case was presented as an unsatisfactory example, illustrating the deepening of illiberal trends — where democratic forms persist (such as elections), but liberal principles such as the rule of law, individual rights, and pluralism are being eroded.
A historical overview traced the evolution of Czech party politics after 1989. On the left, parties such as the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM) and the Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) continued long-standing traditions of labour and social-welfare politics. The centre-right spectrum, however, faced discontinuity: right-wing parties were dissolved after World War II, and some figures were associated with collaboration under occupation, complicating the re-establishment of conservative movements after communism’s fall.
The discussion highlighted the contributions of Václav Havel, the first Czech president, and Václav Klaus, his successor who advanced a neoliberal economic agenda inspired by Margaret Thatcher’s reforms. Under Klaus, questions of privatization, taxation, and welfare redistribution dominated political debate and helped shape the social-economic cleavage.
Challenging the “Westernized” Model
Dr Štefekbegan also questioned the assumption that the Czech party system simply mirrors a Western-style left/right divide. While such a divide exists, it differs markedly in its electoral geography. In many Western countries—and also in Poland, Slovakia, and the UK—urban centers tend to support left-wing parties, while rural regions lean right. In Czechia, the pattern is reversed: major cities support right-wing, market-oriented parties, while the countryside favors left-wing parties such as the Social Democrats or Communists.