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The Czech Protests Organized by Milion chvilek: What Kind of Populism, If Any?

Publication at Faculty of Law |
2021

Abstract

In the spring of 2019, the Czech Republic witnessed a series of protests organized by an association called Milion chvilek (Million moments). The organizers of the demonstrations primarily emphasized the need to protect the independent judiciary after Marie Benešová, an ally of the prosecuted Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, became the new Minister of Justice.

The protests finally called upon the resignation of Babiš himself and raised other problematic issues. Analysing the records of six large demonstrations in Prague, I will try to identify the main discourses used by the organizers, the speakers, and other protesters.

My question will be whether we can call these protests and their organizers populist and, if so, what specific kind of populism they represent.