Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Czech voters turn to the far-right for answers to the energy crisis

Czech voters turn to the far-right for answers to the energy crisis

The Czech Republic is facing one of the highest annual inflation rates in the European Union, with a 17 percent increase in the cost of living, caused by the crisis with Moscow.
It has revealed the country’s heavy reliance on Russian gas, as prices soar and consumers struggle to pay their bills.

Growing poverty has fed into discontent among Czech voters, who are looking to the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy party (SPD) for answers.

Euronews reporter Bryan Carter visited Prague to meet some of the people suffering as a result of the rising cost of living.

Viera Dobrocka, an unemployed mother of a nine-month-old baby, was left with no option other than to move into social housing for single mothers after high food and energy costs meant she could no longer pay her bills.

Unable to afford the rising cost of living, Dobrocka and her son Stefan had to move into a social housing for single mother.

The nation’s elderly is also vulnerable. Dezider Galbavy, who lives on a pension of 500 euros per month, told Euronews that the situation is “outrageous” and that he is “scared” of temperatures dropping this winter.

With bills rising dramatically, people like Dezider will be forced to rely on burning wood and coal rather than turning on their heating, but even that is running out.

Rising energy costs also have a knock-on effect on businesses, which could mean that many Czech workers lose their jobs.

Petr Novosad, director of Harrachov Glassworks, said that his 300-year-old establishment relies heavily upon gas for its furnaces, so he is feeling the pinch.

He told Euronews that if this trend continues, he will have to cut the number of employees at the glassworks, which currently provides the paychecks for around a hundred families.

Increasing hardship since the beginning of September has led to thousands of Czechs protesting on the streets, calling for the government’s resignation, and heavily criticizing the European Union and NATO.

While many demand a gas deal with Russia, the government instead announced a series of economic measures in a televised address.

Prime Minister Petr Fiala outlined caps on energy prices for households, self-employed people, and small and medium-sized businesses, as well as providers of public services.

Disillusionment with the current government, combined with a mistrust of the main opposition leader, Andrej Babiš, who is facing fraud charges, has created fertile ground for the SPD to gain popularity, as it has been campaigning for gas negotiations with Moscow.

The party’s leader, Tomio Okamura, has come under fire for his views on the European Union and multiculturalism, as well as his provocative marks about Muslims.

He claimed that he is not “xenophobic” as some would suggest, but that he opposes the European Union’s stance on migration, saying that it results in an “inability to help people during a crisis”.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
Intel Reports Revenue Beats but Sees 81% Rise in Losses
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
Tulsi Gabbard Unveils Evidence Alleging Political Manipulation of Intelligence During Trump Administration
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Trump Announces Coca-Cola to Shift to Cane Sugar in U.S. Production
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
Moonshot AI Unveils Kimi K2: A New Open-Source AI Model
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
×