MapInfluenCE analyst and Project Leader Ivana Karásková recently detailed a thorough analysis of the impasse that has materialized for Czech policymakers on China issues. Namely outlining the progression of Czech policy from the values-based paradigm of Havel to the more pragmatic approach of his eventual successor Milos Zeman.
“Proponents of economic benefits criticized the principled, human rights-oriented standpoint, deeply-rooted in modern Czech political tradition, as impractical, while those who promoted more intense economic links with China were instinctively accused of morally corrupt stances. Political parties quickly discovered the attractiveness of the issue for media and general public, and China became frequently discussed in political debates, including during the Czech parliamentary and presidential campaigns.”
Karaskova on the increasing focus china receives in public discourse
For more of her thoughts on the situation and what the Czech debates can forecast for the rest of Europe, read the full article here from Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.
Image source: Občanská demokratická strana, Wikimedia Commons
