Public Affairs (political party)
Encyclopedia
Public Affairs abbreviated to VV, is a conservative liberal
political party
in the Czech Republic
. Led by anti-establishment
investigative journalist
and writer Radek John
, its main platform is transparency
and opposing political corruption
. It has 24 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
.
Besides opposing corruption, the party is fiscally conservative
. It has a number of right-wing populist
policies, without opposing immigrants, but a proportion of its small membership is closer to the centre-left. The party is interested in direct democracy
– the members of the party can change the course of the party by internet referendums.
, particularly Prague 1
, for most of its existence. In June 2009, Radek John was recruited as its chairman, and it emerged in late 2009 as a contender in the 2010 election
, polling above the 5% threshold for winning seats, and above the KDU-ČSL and Greens
on occasion. John competed with Karel Schwarzenberg
for the title of the country's most popular politician.
In the election, it received 10.9% of the vote, easily clearing the 5% threshold
, and won 24 seats. The party is currently in a governing coalition with the country's two other centre-right parties: the Civic Democratic Party and TOP 09.
, a leader of the party and Czech Minister of Transport, was accused of bribery by his colleagues from Public Affairs, deputies Jaroslav Škárka, Stanislav Huml, and Kristýna Kočí. The deputies were subsequently expelled from the party. The incident caused serious problems in the Czech government coalition
.
Conservative liberalism
Conservative liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with conservative stances, or, more simply, representing the right-wing of the liberal movement....
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
. Led by anti-establishment
Anti-establishment
An anti-establishment view or belief is one which stands in opposition to the conventional social, political, and economic principles of a society. The term was first used in the modern sense in 1958, by the British magazine New Statesman to refer to its political and social agenda...
investigative journalist
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
and writer Radek John
Radek John
Radek John is a Czech journalist, writer, screenwriter and politician, current chairman of the political party Public Affairs . His novel Memento is the first book examining the drug problem in the context of the former communist Czechoslovakia...
, its main platform is transparency
Transparency (social)
Transparency is a general quality. It is implemented by a set of policies, practices and procedures that allow citizens to have accessibility, usability, utility, understandability, informativeness and auditability of information and process held by centers of authority...
and opposing political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. It has 24 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic
The Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of the Czech Republic. The seat of the Chamber of Deputies is situated in palaces in Malá Strana, Prague....
.
Besides opposing corruption, the party is fiscally conservative
Fiscal conservatism
Fiscal conservatism is a political term used to describe a fiscal policy that advocates avoiding deficit spending. Fiscal conservatives often consider reduction of overall government spending and national debt as well as ensuring balanced budget of paramount importance...
. It has a number of right-wing populist
Right-wing populism
Right-wing populism is a political ideology that rejects existing political consensus and combines laissez-faire liberalism and anti-elitism. It is considered "right-wing" because of its rejection of social equality and government programs to achieve it, its opposition to social integration, and...
policies, without opposing immigrants, but a proportion of its small membership is closer to the centre-left. The party is interested in direct democracy
Direct democracy
Direct democracy is a form of government in which people vote on policy initiatives directly, as opposed to a representative democracy in which people vote for representatives who then vote on policy initiatives. Direct democracy is classically termed "pure democracy"...
– the members of the party can change the course of the party by internet referendums.
History
Founded in 2001, the party has concentrated on local politics in PraguePrague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, particularly Prague 1
Prague 1
Prague 1, formally the Prague 1 Municipal District , is a second-tier municipality in Prague. It is co-extensive with the national administrative district of the same name....
, for most of its existence. In June 2009, Radek John was recruited as its chairman, and it emerged in late 2009 as a contender in the 2010 election
Czech legislative election, 2010
A legislative election in the Czech Republic took place on 28–29 May 2010. The election had been expected to take place some time before the end of 2009 to elect the members of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic...
, polling above the 5% threshold for winning seats, and above the KDU-ČSL and Greens
Green Party (Czech Republic)
The Green Party is a political party in the Czech Republic.The party was founded in February 1990 but for a long time it struggled to obtain significant influence in Czech politics. In the 2002 legislative election the party received 2.4% of the vote...
on occasion. John competed with Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg
Karel Schwarzenberg or Karel, Prince of Schwarzenberg , 7...
for the title of the country's most popular politician.
In the election, it received 10.9% of the vote, easily clearing the 5% threshold
Election threshold
In party-list proportional representation systems, an election threshold is a clause that stipulates that a party must receive a minimum percentage of votes, either nationally or within a particular district, to obtain any seats in the parliament...
, and won 24 seats. The party is currently in a governing coalition with the country's two other centre-right parties: the Civic Democratic Party and TOP 09.
Controversy
In April 2011, Vít BártaVít Bárta
Vít Bárta is the former Czech Minister of Transport, member and leader of the political party Public Affairs .- Political career :...
, a leader of the party and Czech Minister of Transport, was accused of bribery by his colleagues from Public Affairs, deputies Jaroslav Škárka, Stanislav Huml, and Kristýna Kočí. The deputies were subsequently expelled from the party. The incident caused serious problems in the Czech government coalition
Petr Nečas's Cabinet
- Government ministers :- References :*...
.