Czech court bans far-right Workers' Party
On Wednesday, the Supreme Administrative Court in Brno delivered the
first-ever verdict outlawing a political party in the Czech Republic. It
ruled in favour of the government’s proposal to ban the far-right Workers
Party on the grounds that it spreads xenophobia and racial hatred. Sarah
Borufka has the details.
The head of the Supreme Administrative Court Vojtěch Šimíček on
Wednesday announced what was possibly the most-awaited verdict this year.
The court ruled in favor of the government’s proposal to ban the
far-right Workers’ Party, on grounds that the party is a threat to
democracy and promotes hatred directed against minorities. Political
analyst Miroslav Mareš says the verdict sets an important precedent.
“It’s very important for the future of the political culture here in
the Czech Republic. It will set the boundaries for the political activities
of extremist parties. It provides a clear distinction on what is acceptable
and what is against the law, which are mostly the acts of violence but also
the xenophobic rhetoric and the racist and anti-Semitic statements of the
party members.”
A first attempt by the previous center-right government to ban the
far-right party failed last year due to lack of evidence. For the second
proposal, the current caretaker government compiled over a hundred pages of
evidence as opposed to the four pages that were presented along with the
first proposal.
Among the evidence was an expert assessment of the party’s symbols and
language that concluded they were reminiscent of the terminology and images
of the Third Reich. 28 members of the party were shown to have tight
connections to the violent far-right group National Resistance. In
addition, a great many police officers who had experienced clashes with
members of the Workers’ Party at Neo-Nazi marches testified in court.
At a press conference following the verdict, Interior Minister Martin
Pecina thanked all officers who testified in the case.
“I want to thank the police of the Czech Republic, most of all the
officers who gave testimony in court about what they had seen at events of
the Workers’ Party. Their attitude and their courage can serve as a good
example to us all”
The court reached the conclusion that the party’s program, which
includes a ban on gay marriages and an end to any financial support for
immigrants living in the Czech Republic, violates human rights guaranteed
by the constitution.
Although a bad blow to the party, the verdict will not stop its members
from running in May’s general elections. Party chairman Tomáš Vandas
made it clear that he and others intended to run for a party that is
closely connected to the dissolved Workers’ Party. Miroslav Mareš
again.
“The real political effect is limited. The party has various
possibilities how to be politically active in the future. They could found
a new party or run for the already existing Workers’ Party of Social
Solidarity and it’s a possible successor of the Workers’ Party. I think
the members of the dissolved Worker’s Party could also become some sort
of martyr figures for the movement in the future.”
Other political analysts such as Zdeněk Zbořil believe that the verdict
will send a signal against extremist ideology in general, no matter who
promotes it.
“Maybe it’s the most important decision this court has made and a
signal not only to the so-called extremist parties but also to people in
mainstream parties who behave like extremists.”
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“It’s very important for the future of the political culture here in
the Czech Republic. It will set the boundaries for the political activities
of extremist parties. It provides a clear distinction on what is acceptable
and what is against the law, which are mostly the acts of violence but also
the xenophobic rhetoric and the racist and anti-Semitic statements of the
party members.”
At a press conference following the verdict, Interior Minister Martin
Pecina thanked all officers who testified in the case.
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