Tens of thousands of people rallied in the Czech capital Prague on Saturday to oppose Prime Minister Andrej Babis and his coalition government, accusing it of an “arrogance of power.” Organizers from the Million Moments for Democracy movement estimated more than 200,000 people filled the Letna plain, though that figure has not been independently verified.
Demonstrators accused Babis of steering the country away from democratic values and aligning with the pro-Russia policies of Hungary and Slovakia. “We’re here to clearly stand against dragging our country onto the path of Slovakia and Hungary,” said Mikulas Minar, the head organizer from the Million Moments for Democracy group.
In addition to concerns over public media, state institutions and foreign policy, protesters warned against draft legislation they say resembles Russian-style restrictions on civil society. The new coalition government has begun to significantly redefine the nation’s foreign and domestic policies.
Babis, who was prime minister from 2017 to 2021, and his ANO (YES) movement won big in the country’s October election and formed a majority coalition with two small groups: the Freedom and Direct Democracy anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves. Since taking office, Babis has rejected key EU environmental and migration policies and refused financial aid for Ukraine.
His government is preparing a foreign agents law that would require non-governmental organizations and individuals involved in vaguely defined political activity and receiving foreign aid to register or face large fines. “This law can easily be used to restrict personal freedom,” said Vaclav Paces, the former head of the Academy of Sciences.
Organizers said they called Saturday’s rally after the lower house of parliament rejected a motion to lift Babis’s immunity in a $2 million EU subsidy fraud case, a move that blocks a court verdict until his term ends in 2029. Lawmakers also refused to allow the prosecution of lower house Speaker Tomio Okamura, leader of the Freedom party, on charges of inciting hatred.
“The decisions divide the nation into two categories: the ordinary people and the untouchables,” the Million Moments group said. More protests are planned soon.
Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah