Prague, Sept 10 (CTK) – Intensive political campaigning started at the beginning of September and it will last for six weeks until the Czech general election scheduled for October 20-21.
Politicians mostly meet people, often attending various social and cultural events. The parties are also active on social networking websites and they traditionally use billboards, posters and media advertising to attract the voters.
In their campaigns, they use various means of transport such as camper trailers, historical trains and ships.
The ANO movement, which is the election’s favourite, has the slogan Now or Never. ANO leader Andrej Babis said this means that the elections will be the first and last attempt to get rid of “the intolerable, sophisticated and insidious corruption monster.”
The Social Democratic Party (CSSD) presented its programme Good Country for Living already in June. CSSD election leader Lubomir Zaoralek calls for higher salaries.
The Christian Democratic Union (KDU-CSL), which is the junior government coalition partner of the big ANO and CSSD, has chosen Responsibly as its election motto. The KDU-CSL campaign focuses on families and the party offers stalls, amusement for children and leaflets at its meetings with people.
The Communist Party (senior opposition KSCM) traditionally has a rather moderate campaign and its slogan is We Are Your Voice.
The Civic Democrats (right-wing opposition ODS) offer Strong Program for Strong Czechia. Like the right-wing opposition TOP 09, they criticise the present ruling parties.
The Mayors and Independents (STAN) give bunches of grapes to their voters, which it plans to replace with wine. Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) of Tomio Okamura will distribute its own press. The Pirates have a solar-powered ship and “a prison bus” that shows the scandals of their political opponents.
Caps on the election campaign spending have been applied for the first time this year. Each party can spend up to 90 million crowns on its election campaign and it must follow the rules for documenting the expenditures.
