For Business, for Pleasure or for Necessity? The Czech Republic's Choices for Europe

Abstract

Drawing on scholarly accounts from the study of Western Europe which seek to explain national preference formation in European Union member states, this article explores the factors which shape the Czech Republic's policy preferences at the EU level. It argues that whilst ideology, dependency and powerful economic interest groups have explanatory power, the key to explaining national preference formation in the Czech case lies in vulnerabilities and (perceived) weakness.

Euroscepticism the Czech way: An analysis of Václav Klaus’ speeches

“…He is known as one of the EU’s most vocal critics. Although there was a marked gap between the rhetoric and the reality of Klaus’ neo-liberal policies as premier, his espoused belief in the merits of the market spilled over into his view of European integration (Haughton, 2009: 1383). Although there is a certain consistency of content in the speeches, we will show below that the bias in the case of these speeches became ever more pronounced, and his criticism more intense in comparison to speeches on other topics.…”

Driver, Conductor or Fellow Passenger? EU Membership and Party Politics in Central and Eastern Europe

“…26 This appeal -and indeed Vondra's more enthusiastic attitude towards the EU than he had previously expressed -may have been linked to his country's then approaching presidency of the EU. 27 Indeed, as the case of Slovenia demonstrates, holding the presidency of the European Council can have a significant impact on politics. In May 2007, many but not all Slovenian parties signed an agreement on co-operation among parties designed to ensure that the country's presidency of the EU in the first half of 2008 was not derailed by domestic party bickering.…”

Euro adoption in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland: Laggards by default and laggards by choice

“…It is hard to discuss euro adoption without discussing the euroscepticism of Klaus derived from 'an "Anglo-Saxon" neo-liberal economic critique of the EU as an inefficient, over-regulated and "socialist" structure dominated by self-seeking bureaucratic elites with far-reaching political ambitions […] and a "national" critique of the EU as a threat to Czech Euro adoption in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland national sovereignty and identity' (Hanley, 2007, p. 191; see also Haughton, 2009). During Klaus' two Presidency terms (2003-2013, he appointed to the central bank's monetary board officials who shared his eurosceptic views and thus did not favour a speedy euro adoption process.…”