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Current AffairsSenate proposes to ban propagation of Nazism and Communism

The upper house of Parliament on Thursday approved a bill that would ban propagation of Nazism and Communism in the Czech Republic. Anyone caught violating the ban could be sentenced to up to eight years in prison. Although the bill stands little chance of becoming law, it has evoked many questions: primarily why wasn't the issue confronted 16 years ago, immediately after the fall of Communism.  More

Current AffairsFilip takes over as Communist Party leader

Over the last 12 years few politicians have attracted more controversy than the Communist Party's Miroslav Grebenicek. Every May 1st as party leader it was his rhetoric that whipped up angry crowds of mainly older Communist sympathisers on Prague's Letna Plain. No more. At the weekend - nine months ahead of parliamentary elections - Mr Grebenicek stepped down, apparently in order to help his party attract new support. The new man at the top is 50-year-old Vojtech Filip, long styled as Grebenicek's successor. Is there any major difference? More

Current AffairsAre Czechs warming up to the Communists?

If elections were held today, opinion polls suggest, voters' support would be almost equally divided between the left and the right side of the political spectrum. Most leftist voters support the ruling Social Democrats. The Communist Party also enjoys enough public support to be represented in parliament - currently with the third largest number of seats. But the Communists stand alone, as all other parties have vowed not to cooperate with them. Results of an opinion poll commissioned by Czech Television suggest that more and more Czechs are warming to the Communists and four out of ten would actually not be against them taking a bigger part in the decision-making process.  More

Current AffairsThe Green Party wants to play a bigger role in Czech politics

Somewhat in the shadow of high politics, the Czech Green Party elected a new leader over the weekend and made bold plans for the future. Although the party has never attracted enough voters to be able to enter the Lower House of Parliament and has just one seat in the Senate, its new leader, former environment minister Martin Bursik, feels that the time is now ripe for the Greens to play a bigger role in Czech politics.  More

Current AffairsPrime Minister tells the Christian Democrats to play ball or leave the Cabinet

Although general elections in the Czech Republic are eight months away, this weekend marked the beginning of what commentators predict will be a tough election campaign. The impulse came from the ruling Social Democratic Party which held a meeting of its leadership over the weekend.  More

Current AffairsGerman election results: fresh hope for Socialists and warning for Civic Democrats?

The Czech Republic's neighbour to the west, Germany, is still trying to work out what to do in the wake of its indecisive parliamentary election on Sunday. The coming days and weeks will see some tough horse-trading. The election has been closely followed here in the Czech Republic, not least because this country - also with a Social Democrat led government - has its own elections coming up in nine months' time. Could next year's parliamentary elections in the Czech Republic lead to a similar stalemate?  More

Current AffairsAnalysts mull Grebenicek announcement to step down as Communist leader

The long-standing leader of the Communist Party, Miroslav Grebenicek, announced his intention to resign on Monday, citing policy differences in the Communist Party leadership. Mr Grebenicek is seen very much as a hardliner, so is his potential departure a sign of change within the party?  More

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Current AffairsSmaller parties agree to join forces in Prague's local elections

Six smaller centre-right political groupings signed an agreement on Thursday to join forces and fight against the three main parties - the ruling Social Democrats, the right-of-centre Civic Democratic Party and the Communists. The goal is to win over a majority of the electorate during the local elections in Prague in November 2006.  More