The VoiCEE podcast: Embattled Czech government faces resurgent populist threat

In this episode, Kafkadesk contributor Adrien Beauduin interviews political scientist Jiří Koubek of Charles University in Prague about the roots of nationwide social discontent in the Czech Republic. They also speak about the successes and failures of the government; the reasons for the high popularity of ANO, the party of the former prime minister and billionaire Andrej Babiš; and the prospects for the next parliamentary elections scheduled for 2025. Midway into the Czech Republic's five-party government's mandate, things are not looking bright for the prime minister, Petr Fiala, with record-breaking distrust among the population. After a series of crises in the first two years in office - the war in Ukraine, the influx of refugees, the energy crisis, and soaring inflation - the current ruling parties have plummeted to an all-time low in opinion polls, while the former prime minister and his ANO party are back on top. Our experts analyse the situation and attempt to determine if there will be a return of the populists in the Czech Republic, or if there is a chance for the government to regain citizens' confidence.