Prague, Dec 6 (CTK) – Eurosceptics and migration opponents can see an ally in the Realists, a new Czech party founded by political analyst Petr Robejsek in November, and they are considering election cooperation with him, daily Pravo writes today.
Robejsek is praised by the Eurosceptical Free Citizens party of Petr Mach as well as the populist ultra-right Dawn movement and Islam opponent Martin Konvicka.
“I welcome a new political entity on the horizon that stands close to us when it comes to the programme,” Mach told Pravo.
He did not rule out that his party might cooperate with the Realists.
Dawn representatives might be interested in cooperation with Robejsek as well, Pravo says.
Dawn MP Marek Cernoch told Pravo that the Realists appealed to him very much.
“I have long respected Mr Robejsek. We have the same opinions. He is a very interesting personality. The whole party of his is very interesting,” Cernoch told Pravo.
However, he called any considerations about a possible joint list of candidates in the 2017 general election premature.
The Realists and Dawn share the views of economic analyst Pavel Kohout on which both parties based their programmes, Pravo says.
Konvicka, head of the Konvicka’s Initiative (IMK) anti-Islam group who failed in this autumn Senate elections, expressed his liking to Robejsek as well, Pravo writes.
“The Realists party is a nice, ambitious project,” Konvicka told Pravo.
The Party of Direct Democracy (SPD) of Tomio Okamura shares the opinion on the promotion of direct democracy with the Realists.
However, Okamura rules out any cooperation with Robejsek. He claims that Vit Barta, ex-minister and former head of the Public Affairs (VV) party, with whom he was in dispute some time ago, is behind the project. Okamura also criticises Robejsek for being an emigrant.
“If you ask citizens in the street whether they know Mr Robejsek, they don’t. He is an emigrant who has been living in Germany for 30 years,” Okamura told Pravo.
In the past, Robejsek stood close to the mainstream right-wing Civic Democrats (ODS). The ODS should also fear the most of the Realists attracting some of its voters, political scientist Jan Bures said.
“The Realists will become a competitor of the right-wing parties, the ODS, TOP 09 and partially the ANO movement (of Finance Minister and billionaire businessman Andrej Babis). Mr Robejsek is serious, he is not comparable to radicals, such as Okamura. He has a reputation of a sophisticated academic, though not with conventional opinions,” Bures told Pravo.
However, Robejsek would have to win other interesting personalities to succeed in politics. He made a mistake that he had not agreed on cooperation with the ODS, Bures said.
Yet ODS chairman Petr Fiala says cooperation with the Realists “is not realistic.”
“The establishment of another small party will not help politics. I called for cooperation of right-wing forces a few months ago. I cannot see any interest from Mr Robejsek. Moreover, I doubt that Penta would allow him this,” Fiala said, hinting at the fact that Penta financial group founder Marek Dospiva is a sponsor of the Realists.
