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Přísaha and Motorists

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Přísaha and Motorists
Přísaha a Motoristé
LeaderFilip Turek
Founded29 January 2024; 10 months ago (2024-01-29)
IdeologyRight-wing populism[1]
Political positionRight-wing[2] to far-right[3]
European Parliament groupPatriots for Europe
(2024–present)[4]
European Parliament
2 / 21
Website
prisahamotoriste.cz

Přísaha and Motorists (Czech: Přísaha a Motoristé, lit. 'Oath and Motorists') is a Czech electoral alliance founded between Přísaha and Motorists for Themselves, a Prague local party, for the 2024 European Parliament election.

History

[edit]

Přísaha and the Motorists started cooperating after the 2022 Czech municipal elections. In that election, Přísaha won 51 local councillors nationwide, below their expectations.[5][6] In Pohořelice, the hometown of the Přísaha's leader Robert Šlachta, the party won 41.28% of the vote and 9 out of 21 seats. However, every other party in Pohořelice formed a unity coalition against Přísaha.[7]

Motorists for Themselves had expressed the intention to become part of the Prague governing coalition,[8] but failed to overcome the 5% electoral threshold and did not gain any seats in the Prague City Council.[9] In autumn 2023, the two parties announced their intention to co-operate in the upcoming 2024 Czech Senate election,[10] and the Motorists said they would support Šlachta's candidacy for a seat in the Senate.[11]

Around the same time, Přísaha announced its intention to run in the European election, with the leader of its South Bohemian chapter as its probable lead candidate.[12] Meanwhile, Motorists were in negotiations with Svobodní about a joint list for the elections.[13] However, in January 2024, the two parties signed a memorandum and announced a coalition for the European elections.[14][15] The alliance announced a planned election budget of around six million CZK.[16]

At the election, Přísaha and the Motorists won 10.26% of the vote and 2 out of 21 seats, significantly exceeding expectations. The alliance's electoral leader Filip Turek gained 152,196 preferential votes, the second most for a single candidate in the Czech Republic.[17][18] According to experts, Turek gained support from ANO and SPD voters, as well as from among non-voters. The alliance was also more successful in smaller cities, and had the youngest electorate overall.[19] Some experts expressed doubts that the alliance would be able to replicate its success in a parliamentary election.[20]

Neo-Nazism allegations

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Shortly before the 2024 European parliament election, several media outlets published photos of the election leader Filip Turek performing the Nazi salute while driving, as well as an image of his old race helmet decorated with the logo of the Greek far-right organisation Golden Dawn. It was also found that his past Facebook activity included posts praising Hitler as "golden daddy", and stating that he always pumps 88 litres of petrol into his car because it's a "very round number". He also nicknamed his house the "Adlerhorst". Turek also said he owns several items featuring the Nazi swastika and SS symbols.[21]

While Turek denied being a neo-Nazi, the Czech police opened an investigation into his gestures. He also pulled out of the remaining pre-election debates.[22][23][24] After the election, Turek again denied being a neo-Nazi, stating that his old controversial photos and social media posts were the product of his "sharp and brutal humour", and/or mistakes of his youth.[25]

Member parties

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Parties Main ideology Leader(s) EP list composition
Přísaha Populism Robert Šlachta
15 / 28
Motorists for Themselves Motorists' interests Petr Macinka
13 / 28

Election results

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European Parliament

[edit]
Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2024 Filip Turek 304,623 10.26 (#3)
2 / 21
 New PfE

2024 Senate election

[edit]
Year Leader Vote Vote % Seats Place
2024 Robert Šlachta 8,099 1.0
1 / 27
 9th

References

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  1. ^ Tvrdoň, Jan. "Dojede Přísaha s Motoristy až do europarlamentu? Výzkumníci popisují, kde koalice bere voliče". Deník N (in Czech). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  2. ^ Kabrhelová, Lenka. "Češi s Turkem a Němci zklamaní z "polistopadového" vývoje. Expert o eurovolbách". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech).
  3. ^ Zachová, Aneta (2024-06-10). "Controversial far-right coalition comes third in Czech EU elections". www.euractiv.com. Retrieved 2024-07-09.
  4. ^ Fortuna, Gerardo (8 July 2024). "Far-right Patriots group springs to third force in European Parliament". Euronews. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  5. ^ "Voliči vybrali nové zastupitele a zvolili tři senátory". Czech Statistical Office (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  6. ^ "Zastupitelé dle navrhující strany". volby.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  7. ^ "Šlachta ovládl volby v Pohořelicích. Přesto už vznikla koalice bez něj". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). 2022-09-26. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  8. ^ "Václav Klaus mi řekl, ať to nepokazím, říká zakladatel nové strany Motoristé sobě". Lidové noviny (in Czech). Mafra. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  9. ^ "Výsledky voleb". volby.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  10. ^ "Šlachtovu Přísahu podpoří Motoristé sobě". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 2023-12-16. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  11. ^ "Šéf Motoristů Macinka podpoří Roberta Šlachtu v senátní kampani". Motoristé sobě (in Czech). Retrieved 18 April 2024.
  12. ^ Křovák, Jan (2023-11-01). "Eurovolby 2024: "Pětikoalici" se postaví Dostálová, David s Majerovou a SOCDEM s malými stranami". Echo24.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  13. ^ "Svobodní jednali o kandidátce do EP, jednají se stranou Motoristé sobě". Svobodní (in Czech). 2023-11-11. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  14. ^ "Přísaha míří k evropským volbám s Motoristy, Šlachta má zálusk na křeslo v Senátu". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. 2024-01-29. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  15. ^ "Šlachta bude kandidovat do Senátu. S Motoristy Přísaha míří k evropským volbám". ČT24 (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  16. ^ Dyntr, Josef; Tykalová, Tereza (2024-04-11). "Přísaha s Motoristy před eurovolbami zavítá do měst. Slibují si zisk dvou křesel". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  17. ^ Cieslar, Jan (2024-06-09). "Czechia has chosen new Members of the European Parliament". Czech Statistical Office. Retrieved 2024-06-11.
  18. ^ Štěpánková, Lenka (2024-06-10). "Turek obral o hlasy hlavně Okamuru. Experti: Nespokojenost s vládou přihrála voliče protestním hnutím". Lidové noviny (in Czech). Mafra.
  19. ^ Grim, Jakub (2024-06-11). "Kde uspěli Turek a Konečná? 'Noví populisté' mobilizovali v krajských zákoutích a u lidí se základním vzděláním". Czech Radio (in Czech).
  20. ^ Mach, Jiří (2024-06-11). "Motoristé úspěch těžko zopakují, míní sociolog". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis.
  21. ^ Dolejší, Václav (2024-06-06). "Glosa: Legrace s hranatým Turkem skončila. Definitivně". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  22. ^ Prchal, Lukáš; Tvrdoň, Jan. "Filip Turek jezdil v autě se zdviženou pravicí, lajkoval Hitlera. Řeší to policie". Deník N (in Czech). Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  23. ^ "Turek obdivoval Hitlera a hajloval z auta, snímky řeší policie. Lídr Přísahy a Motoristů teď ruší účast v předvolebních debatách". FORUM 24 (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  24. ^ "Nečekaný zvrat. Turek se před volbami již neukáže v debatách, chce mírnit vášně". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Prima F. T. V. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  25. ^ Kalčák, Filip (10 June 2024). "Koketování se svastikou je nepřijatelné, kritizoval Vondra. Nafackoval bych si, hájil se Turek". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Prima F. T. V. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
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