“Is the Iron Curtain still a thing?” quipped a friend in an email I received last week. My initial reaction was to write back “LOL there are no curtains here – too bourgeoisie.” Though in the immediate aftermath of the Czech Republic’s presidential elections, this “joke” deserves a more serious response.
At the conclusion of WWII, Czechoslovakia fell into the Soviet sphere of influence. From that point on, communism dominated the political, economic and cultural aspects of everyday life in Eastern Europe. Following the “fall” of the Iron Curtain in the late 1980s, Czechoslovakia broke into two separate democratic states – the Czech Republic and Slovakia. While the Czech Republic has democratically elected almost all of its politicians since its formation, the 2013 elections mark the first time that the president was chosen by popular vote.
Ex-Communist MiloÅ¡ Zeman’s victory over Karel Schwarzenberg in the Czech presidential elections indeed raises a few red flags. While Zeman claims he is a “Euro-Federalist,” his pro-continental views only look better in contrast to those held by outgoing president Vaclav Klaus. During his tenure in office Klaus deeply distrusted the European Union (EU) and isolated the Czech Republic from Western Europe. Zeman, however, states he is committed to putting the Czech Republic back into the EU bloc and renewing relations with the West.
But what kind of internationalist blatantly exploits Czech xenophobia about Sudeten Germans – expelled from the former Czechoslovakia after encouraging Hitler to annex the Sudetenland – by making ludicrous suggestions that Karl Schwarzenberg will actually help the descendants of Sudeten Germans take property away from Czechs? What to make of Zeman when he calls for stronger bonds with the EU and then criticizes Schwarzenberg for his time in exile during repressive Communist Rule and his wife’s Austrian nationality?
Adding a little more context helps clarify Zeman’s nebulous foreign policy views. The success of his campaign seems to fit in with growing anti-democratic tendencies, a rebirth of nationalism and an overall shift away from the West in the Czech Republic and Eastern Europe. Communism has been resurrected in the Czech Republic. During local elections last October the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia finished in first in two of the 13 regions and won 182 seats on the regional assemblies. Around 20 percent of the population now identifies with the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia. As such, it is the second most popular party in the country and by far the fastest growing one.
The Czech Republic case is not an outlier. After doubling its share of voters from five to 10 percent, the communists in Ukraine are also on the rise. The communist party in Belarus – “A Just World” – saw similar gains and garnered enough support to run as one of the three opposition parties that competed in the 2012 presidential elections.
Besides Zeman and the Communists, other Central and Eastern European leaders threaten to distance their nations from Western political and economic institutions. Named by the German weekly Der Spiegel as one of Europe’s most dangerous politicians, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vehemently opposes the EU, the IMF and transnational businesses. An unapologetic isolationist, Orbán questions the influence of the EU: “Who is to rule Hungary? Brussels or the Hungarian government?”
Orbán feels the “future lies in the East,” and for good reason. Economically, the Iron Curtain threatens to divide the continent again as Europe now largely depends on Russia for natural gas and energy. Putin’s autocratic regime continues to build up the Eurasian Economic Community (EAEC) and aims to expand its influence in Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus; Belarus and Kazakhstan entered a customs union with Russia in 2009, with Serbia and Montenegro expected to join soon. Bulgaria’s government has fought Russia’s recent attempt to build more dangerous and unprofitable long-term natural gas pipelines projects in Bulgaria. Last January energy prices skyrocketed – likely due to Russian energy companies conspiring to provoke public outrage – and Prime Minister Boyko Borisov was forced to resign.
In 1989 the celebrated poet and former president of the Czech Republic, Václav Havel, ran for office under the slogan, “Love and truth conquer hatred and lies.” Last year Havel died, along with his work to heal the economic, social and spiritual wounds inflicted by Communist rule – which through today has still not apologized for its 40 years of repressive and authoritarian rule over the Czechs. But the alternatives are no better: cronyism, lack of integrity and political scandals have marred the government’s reputation and catapulted the Czech Republic to the 22nd highest corruption rate in the EU. The people of the Czech Republic and Central Europe simply don’t know who to turn to, who to trust. Democracy is failing in Central and Eastern Europe: from corruption and communism in the Czech Republic and Ukraine, to the one-man rule of Hungary, and, most recently, the Belarusian and Bulgarian economic unification with the Kremlin. Reversing these autocratic and communist trends need to figure into the immediate calculus of policy makers, both in Europe and America. Ultimately, though, the responsibility falls onto the ordinary citizens of Central Europe to speak out against anti-democratic and unrepresentative governance – a la Pussy Riot – before they no longer have a say.
Ben Sollenberger is a College junior from Winston-Salem, N.C.
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