Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Motorists for Themselves

Motorists for Themselves
Motoristé sobě
AbbreviationAUTO
PresidentFilip Turek
ChairpersonPetr Macinka
Deputy LeadersRenáta Maršíková
Jiří Barták
Founded2022
Preceded byIndependence Party of the Czech Republic
Youth wingMotor Generation[1]
IdeologyRight-wing populism[2]
National conservatism[3]
Euroscepticism[4]
Political positionRight-wing[4][5] to far-right[6][3]
National affiliationPřísaha and Motorists
European affiliationPatriots.eu
European Parliament groupPatriots for Europe
Colors  Blue
Prague City Assembly
0 / 65
European Parliament
1 / 21
[7]
Website
motoristesobe.cz

Motorists for Themselves (Czech: Motoristé sobě, abbreviation AUTO) is a right-wing to far-right Czech political party. It was originally founded by František Matějka, a spokesperson of the Václav Klaus' Institute, for the 2022 Prague municipal election.[8]

History

2022 Prague municipal election

The party ran in the 2022 Czech municipal elections in Prague, claiming opposition to parties such as the Pirates and Prague Together. Motorists promised making the Prague Metro free of charge,[9] greatly reducing the number of bike lines and reducing the funding of culture, investing the funds into transport infrastructure instead.[10][11] Macinka accused the Pirate-led coalition in the city of bullying of drivers and called them "green fanatics".[12]

Motorists gained 540,209 votes, reaching 2.29% of the total, thus missing on the 5% electoral threshold and winning zero seats in the Prague City Assembly.[13]

2024 European Parliament election

For the 2024 European Parliament election, the party was firstly considering a joint electoral list together with Svobodní.[14] However, the party later announced a coalition with the Přísaha movement, with their joint list being led by a former automobile racer Filip Turek.[15][16] The coalition wants to reverse the European Green Deal and the ban on sale of petrol and diesel cars starting from 2035. It also claims to stand against illegal immigration and the adoption of euro as the Czech Republic's national currency.[17]

2025 Czech parliamentary election

At the beginning of 2025, the party announced that it will contest the 2025 Czech parliamentary election independently, after a membership vote favored that option. Party chairperson Macinka welcomed that decision, claiming it will allow the party to maintain "ideological purity". The party has however not ruled out offering spots on its lists to members of other minor parties, such as Svobodní, and said that it wants to continue its cooperation with Přísaha's Robert Šlachta.[18] At the same time, Motorists had also began to cross the 5% electoral threshold in some opinion polls.[19]

As their goal for the election, the party said it wants to beat the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) in terms of a seat share in the Parliament. Party officials said that they view possible governmental coalition with ODS negatively, rather leaning into the possibility of forming the government with the populist ANO. However, Macinka denied the possibility of any government cooperation with the communist Stačilo!.[20][6]

Stances

The party opposes green politics, liberalism and progressivism.[21] It has stated its support for "cars, coal and the crown".[21] Later, the party also proclaimed its opposition to the European Union, adoption of the Euro and the European Green Deal, while voicing its support for a free market, coal and a nuclear-based energy strategy.[6]

Motor Generation

In July 2024, the party has founded its youth wing, named Motor Generation, under the leadership of former Svobodní member and Ostrava-Vítkovice councillor Matěj Gregor. Gregor claimed that the organization purpose is to offer a right-wing political alternative for a young people and provide a voice for conservative youth, he also aims to bring "order and discipline" into members' lives.[3]

However, a controversy erupted shortly after the organization's foundation, as it had set up a photo booth on its inaugural congress featuring cards with quotes "I have SS dagger at home", "Certified racist" or "Congress 9.11." with an image of a plane and the Twin Towers.[22]

Respekt also reported that Gregor is planning on creating a network of Motor Generation clubs on Czech universities under the disguise of "conservative clubs", as it is illegal to create partisan organizations in Universities under the Czech law). In an internal memo, Gregor allegedly said that they will "create a hell" for progressivists on the academic land, promising that they will make them "whine and scream". Gregor later confirmed the authenticity of the memo, but called it "twisted" by the media. He also denied comparisons made between the organization and Hitlerjugend or the youth organizations of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia.[3][23][24]

Election results

Senate

Election Candidates First round Second round Seats Total Seats +/–
Votes % Runners-up Place Votes % Place
2024 1 7,664 0.97
0 / 27
 14th —
0 / 27
0 / 81
 New

European Parliament

Election List leader Votes % Seats +/– EP Group
2024[a] Filip Turek 304,623 10.26 (#3)
(Přísaha and Motorists)
1 / 21
 New Patriots for Europe

Prague municipal elections

Year Leader Vote Vote % Seats Place
2022 Petr Macinka 540,209 2.29%
0 / 65
 7th

Notes

  1. ^ Ran as part of the Přísaha and Motorists coalition.

References

  1. ^ Oppelt, Robert (10 November 2024). "Utahování si z Nerudové a hvězda Turek. Vznikl Motorgen, Motoristé pro mladé". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  2. ^ "New polls show growing support for Czechia's populist Motorists party". Euractiv. 13 November 2024. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Štorkán, Martin; Svobodová, Ivana (8 December 2024). "Budou kňučet, budou ječet! Ale vy budete mučedníci". Respekt (in Czech).
  4. ^ a b "Czechia". Europe Elects. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  5. ^ "Czech Republic: Political parties at a glance". PolitPro.
  6. ^ a b c "Auto není nepřítel, shodli se Motoristé, pustili si Landu a chtějí porazit ODS". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). 7 December 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  7. ^ "Filip Turek". European Parliament. 15 October 1985. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  8. ^ "Do voleb v Praze chce jít nová politická strana Motoristé sobě". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Strana Motoristé sobě chce v Praze metro zdarma". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 9 August 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  10. ^ Vachtl, Jiří (10 August 2022). "Motoristé sobě i Praha bez chaosu. Strany sází na boj proti "cyklofanatikům"". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Václav Klaus mi řekl, ať to nepokazím, říká zakladatel nové strany Motoristé sobě". Lidové noviny (in Czech). Mafra. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  12. ^ Veselý, Marek (8 September 2022). "Macinka: Piráti v Praze razí zelený fanatismus a chtějí nás vychovávat. Šikanují řidiče". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Výsledky voleb" (in Czech). Czech Statistical Office. 10 August 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Svobodní jednali o kandidátce do EP, jednají se stranou Motoristé sobě". Svobodní (in Czech). 11 November 2023. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Přísaha míří k evropským volbám s Motoristy, Šlachta má zálusk na křeslo v Senátu". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Mafra. 29 January 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  16. ^ Martinek, Jan (29 January 2024). "Šlachtova Přísaha půjde do eurovoleb společně s Motoristy sobě". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
  17. ^ Zykmundová, Barbora (10 June 2024). "Ve volbách zazářila koalice, která ani neměla program. Co chtějí Přísaha a Motoristé?". CNN Prima News (in Czech). FTV Prima. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ "Motoristé vyloučili možnost předvolební koalice. Do Sněmovny budou kandidovat samostatně". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 11 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  19. ^ "STEM: V lednu by volby vyhrálo ANO. Do Sněmovny by se dostalo šest subjektů včetně Motoristů a SPD". Czech Radio (in Czech). 12 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  20. ^ "Šéf Motoristů Macinka: Konečná je můj nejoblíbenější levičák". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. 12 June 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  21. ^ a b Eisenchteter, Jules (19 December 2024). "Need for Speed: Czech Motorist Party Shifts into High Gear with Eyes on 2025 Election". Balkan Insight. Prague. Retrieved 23 December 2024. ... coming about six months after a conservative and Eurosceptic Motorists-Prisaha coalition created a shock ...
  22. ^ "Mám doma dýku SS, fotili se mladí Motoristé. Jen humor, říká jejich šéf". Mladá fronta Dnes (in Czech). Mafra. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  23. ^ "Lídr mladých Motoristů: Přirovnávání k Hitlerjugend mě štve". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). 11 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
  24. ^ "Vycházející hvězda Motoristů Gregor: O spolupráci s hnutím ANO nemůžeme lhát". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). 8 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
Quelle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorists_for_Themselves