Libertas Czechia
Encyclopedia
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
.
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
to register a party under exactly the designated name by January 21 2009. It remained unclear whether the registration had been accomplished in some way on behalf of the European Libertas.eu or without any consent.
Supporters of Železný's Libertas.cz included Jana Bobošíková
and Vlastimil Tlustý but not Declan Ganley and his followers, who promptly disavowed the party. However after an intervention of president Klaus the two MPs Vlastimil Tlusty and Jan Schwippel changed sides, leaving ODS and joining Železný's Libertas.cz. This led the European Libertas.eu to a volte-face
, now claiming Železný's Libertas.cz an affiliate.
contained the following 29 candidates:
The list contained the nineteen candidates from Železný's other party (Nezávislí demokraté), six independents (including Jan Schwippel, now disavowed ODS), one ODS (Vlastimil Tlusty), and three other candidates.
The number of candidates elected was zero.
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
party 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....
that was founded in 2009 by the former media entrepreneur and MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
Vladimír Železný
Vladimír Železný
Vladimír Železný is a media businessman, politician and convicted criminal in the Czech Republic. He was the first CEO of TV NOVA, a popular Czech television station and was a member of the European Parliament between 2004 and 2009...
. After some controversies it became an associate of Declan Ganley
Declan Ganley
Declan James Ganley is a British-born Irish citizen, entrepreneur, businessman and political activist. He is founder and chairman of a political party, Libertas with pan-European ambitions...
's pan-European alliance Libertas.eu
Libertas.eu
Libertas is a political party founded by Declan Ganley that took part in the European Parliament election, 2009 in several member states of the European Union.-Preamble:...
.
History
After comprehensive negotiations with president Václav KlausVáclav Klaus
Václav Klaus is the second President of the Czech Republic and a former Prime Minister .An economist, he is co-founder of the Civic Democratic Party, the Czech Republic's largest center-right political party. Klaus is a eurosceptic, but he reluctantly endorsed the Lisbon treaty as president of...
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
Party of Free Citizens
The Party of Free Citizens or is a eurosceptical political party in the Czech Republic founded in 2009 by Petr Mach, an external economic advisor of Czech president Václav Klaus....
, 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
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
to register a party under exactly the designated name by January 21 2009. It remained unclear whether the registration had been accomplished in some way on behalf of the European Libertas.eu or without any consent.
Supporters of Železný's Libertas.cz included Jana Bobošíková
Jana Bobošíková
Jana Bobošíková is a Czech politician and former Member of the European Parliament and was Non-Inscrit in the European Parliament....
and Vlastimil Tlustý but not Declan Ganley and his followers, who promptly disavowed the party. However after an intervention of president Klaus the two MPs Vlastimil Tlusty and Jan Schwippel changed sides, leaving ODS and joining Železný's Libertas.cz. This led the European Libertas.eu to a volte-face
Volte-face
Volte-face is a total change of position, as in policy or opinion; an about-face.The expression comes through French, from Italian voltafaccia and Portuguese volte face, composed of volta and faccia ....
, now claiming Železný's Libertas.cz an affiliate.
2009 European Parliament elections
The list fielded by Libertas.cz in the 2009 European Parliament electionsEuropean Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
contained the following 29 candidates:
| Code | Party | Number of candidates | % | Source |
| 172 | Nezávislí demokraté | 19 | 65.52 | |
| 99 | no party affiliation | 6 | 20.69 | |
| 53 | Občanská demokratická strana | 1 | 3.45 | |
| 713 | Libertas.cz | 2 | 6.90 | |
| 701 | Doktoři (za uzdravení společnosti) | 1 | 3.45 |
The list contained the nineteen candidates from Železný's other party (Nezávislí demokraté), six independents (including Jan Schwippel, now disavowed ODS), one ODS (Vlastimil Tlusty), and three other candidates.
The number of candidates elected was zero.
External links
- Official site
- Vlastimil Tlustý - Libertas Ceska on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
.