Selfies, signatures on foreheads and leaflets of the Pirates and SPOLU. The Austrian in the contact campaign sent a signal that the Democrats are pulling together
In recent years Czech politics has become accustomed to fierce battles between parties, where the focus is often more on who is not sitting at the same table with whom than on what is good for the country. The gesture of STAN leader and Interior Minister Vít Rakušan, who appeared at the Anděl metro station in recent days, was all the more unusual. He did not, however, hand out leaflets only for his own party, but rather for the contact campaign of the Pirates and the SPOLU coalition, offering passers-by leaflets of these rivals as well.
At first glance, one might object: a pure marketing ploy, a photo op for the media, nothing more. But a closer look reveals that this is a gesture that has a deeper meaning. In a situation where elections are approaching and the future direction of the country is at risk of being decided by populists and extremists, any symbol of cooperation between democratic parties is important.
When it's not enough just to count the votes
Last week, Prime Minister Petr Fiala warned that if the votes of democratic voters are diluted, the government will be formed by Andrej Babiš. At the same time, he appealed: vote with reason, even if you may not like ODS or the SPOLU coalition. But a purely technical vote count is not enough. Democratic parties must also show the ability to work together - otherwise their voters can easily fall into the impression that this is just political chess without substance.
Rakusan's gesture is refreshing in this sense. He is saying: yes, we are in competition with each other, but at key moments we can stand on the same side of the barricade. Against those who want to weaken democracy, divide society or remake it along authoritarian lines.
Reaching out to young people and admitting the weakness of politicians
There was another dimension to the whole event. During the distribution of leaflets, the Austrian met mainly young people, who had him sign not only their papers but also their faces or foreheads. And it was to them that he reminded them that the current generation of politicians needs to "kick it" and hand over power to the younger ones. It may sound hyperbolic, but it is sentences like this that can appeal to a generation that feels that there is no place for them in politics and that decisions are made by people who no longer understand their world.
Moreover, it has been shown here that politics does not have to be about technocratic language and dry numbers, but can touch emotions. The Austrian spoke about the war in Gaza and the Russian threat in Europe, admitting that as a father of three he could not remain indifferent. He thus created an image of a politician who is aware that what is happening in the world is not a distant abstraction, but something that can fundamentally change life in our country.
Against extremists and populists only together
We know from history that democracy can be dismantled gradually, seemingly unobtrusively. In Hungary, it did not start overnight - first the independence of the media was curtailed, then the judiciary was interfered with, and in the end democracy became an empty husk. Even in the Czech Republic today, we hear politicians talking openly about "manipulated journalists", "useless Senate" or "domination by Brussels".
In such an atmosphere, it is not enough for the democratic parties to simply define themselves against each other. They must be able to show that they can work together, not only after the elections when forming a government, but during the campaign. So that voters can see that there is an alternative to a government of populists and extremists.
Gestures that make sense
Rakušan's leafleting may not affect the election results. But it has the potential to reinforce the belief that democratic parties are not doomed to perpetual bickering. That they can put aside egos and work together where there is more at stake than individual preferences. And that such cooperation is the only way to maintain the Czech Republic as a country that stands on the side of democracy, Europe and freedom.
Whether the voters believe him or not, the Austrian has sent a clear signal. And we should want to see more gestures like this. Because if the democrats do not learn to pull together, it will soon be too late.
