Demonstration in Prague: "A strong expectation of political transparency"

On 17 November 1989, a week after the fall of the Berlin Wall, a student demonstration was violently repressed in Prague. Shocked by this demonstration of strength, the Czechoslovaks lit candles in solidarity with the students. It was the "velvet revolution" that precipitated the fall of the Czechoslovak communist regime.

Three decades later, the anniversary of this event takes on a particular resonance. In Prague, a crowd of citizens rallied again Saturday, November 16, to denounce the corruption of the political class and demand the resignation of the Prime Minister, Andrej Babis.

Jacques Rupnik, researcher at the Center for International Research (Ceri) at Sciences Po Paris, former adviser to former President of the Czech Republic Vaclav Havel in the early 1990s, author of a book entitled "Geopolitics of Democratization" (Presses Sciences Po, 2014), echoes the events in Prague and analyzes the political repercussions of this protest movement.

France 24 : Is the scent of the 1989 revolution again in the air in Prague ?

Jacques Rupnik: A big demonstration is taking place this 16th of November, at the place where, thirty years before, the "velvet revolution" began. The organizers I met [last week, Editor's note] are waiting [for] a lot of people [Saturday afternoon, the police counted more than 200 000 participants, Ed]. Of course, there are commemorations organized specifically to remember the events of 1989 - I was invited to attend a conference on this anniversary. But everyone is especially in expectation of this civic mobilization called "Millions of moments for democracy". The event is organized by young people who were not born 30 years ago!

Letna's protesters' message in French pic.twitter.com/SAy8nwchwv

Who are the organizers ? What is their claim ?

They are students, one of the main spokesmen is a student of theology. They are not radicals, they preach non-violence. They are very firm on principles of ethics in politics and the rule of law. Already, last June, a major demonstration had already been organized to demand that all light be shed on the suspicions of conflict of interest that taint the government of Andrej Babis.

The conflict of interest concerns the influence that the Prime Minister may have on the distribution of European funds and the use of these funds by one of his former companies, Agrofert. The European Commission is investigating these suspicions of corruption. For its part, Czech justice has not resulted in a conviction.

This movement considers that 30 years after 1989, there is always an expectation, not only of democracy, but of a state of law, of transparency. We find ourselves, 30 years after the end of communism, with a prime minister who is in the crosshairs of justice and a president who takes liberties with the Constitution.

Admittedly, we are not in the case of Hungary or Poland, where the rule of law is called into question. Here in the Czech Republic, justice is independent, as is the Constitutional Court, unlike in Poland and Hungary. Czech protesters want to ensure that no political pressure is put on the independent functioning of justice.

To which political movement can this movement be associated ?

The mobilization "Millions of moments for democracy" is a student at the origin. But already, last June, a population of all ages and all professions combined took to the streets. We were no longer in the student movement, it is a broader movement that expresses frustration with the political class, vis-à-vis a government that operates with the tacit support of the communists or of the SPO xenophobic national-populist party.

The political scene is exploded. The two major parties that had structured Czech politics in the 1990s are weak: ODS, the right-wing party, caps at 13-14%. The Social Democratic Party, which was at the helm of the previous government and now serves as a backup force for Andrej Babis, is losing steam.

But the real problem of this great protest movement is that it has no program; it is not a political party. It is a movement of civic indignation and affirmation of democratic values. But the question, in the aftermath of November 16, is to know what are the political relays to this mobilization. How to politically translate a civic protest movement? This is a question to which nobody has an answer.

Could Andrej Babis have to resign ?

Some demand that he resign until the case is cleared, and that his government remains. But the Prime Minister will not resign, he has said so many times. He still enjoys the support of about a third of voters. The other political parties are far behind, they do not make half of Andrej Babis' score.

The only party that could be in step with this movement is the Pirate Party. It is a recent party, which participated in the last elections, it is now represented in Parliament, the mayor of Prague came from. The mobilization against corruption joins the line of this party to the militants rather young, urban, educated, liberal, and moderately pro-Europeans. It's the only political relay I see, but it's weak. He accounted for between 13% and 14% of the votes in the last election.