Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman (born September 28, 1944) is the 3rd President of Czech Republic, becoming the first directly-elected Czech president and serving since 2013. He previously served in several other political positions, including as Czech prime minister from 1998 to 2002. He is the leader of the Populist Party of Civic Rights but previously led the Czech Social Democratic Party. Along with Václav Klaus and Václav Havel, Zeman is considered one of the three most prominent figures in early post-communist Czech history. While he was considered a moderate left-of-center politician earlier in his career, after becoming president, he took strong conservative and right-wing populist positions, particularly on guns, immigration, Islam, and Israel.[1] Zeman describes himself as a "tolerant atheist".[2] He is a chain smoker and lover of fatty foods. Zeman often extols the virtues of alcohol (see also Atheistic Czech Republic and alcoholism).[3]
Political views
Zeman became one of Europe's strongest opponents of mass immigration early in the European migrant crisis, and he became known for his opposition to Islam.[4][5] He called the migrant crisis "an organized invasion and not a spontaneous movement of refugees,"[6] and he stated that Muslim integration into Western European society is impossible.[7] Zeman also ran on a strong anti-mass migration platform leading up to his 2018 re-election.[1] Zeman supports moving the Czech embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.[8] He also supports gun rights.[9]
Zeman endorsed the successful candidacy of Donald Trump as U.S. president in September 2016.[10][11]
In the 2018 Czech presidential election, Zeman narrowly defeated a liberal and pro-EU challenger.[11][12][13] The election had been compared to other recent elections where a nationalist conservative faced off against a liberal globalist.[14] Zeman began his second term over a month later.[15]
In April 2018 Zeman announced a plan to move the Czech embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.[16]
Zeman has criticized the EU for its actions regarding Brexit.[17]
Zeman is a populist and is known for his politically incorrect style.[18]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Muller, Robert; Hovet, Jason (January 26, 2018). Czech President Zeman re-elected with anti-immigration message. Reuters. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ https://blogs.wsj.com/emergingeurope/2013/03/08/czech-president-milos-zeman-casts-himself-as-unifier/
- ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/czechrepublic/10057395/Czech-President-accused-of-being-drunk-at-official-engagement.html
- ↑ Tait, Robert (September 14, 2016). Miloš Zeman: the hardline Czech leader fanning hostility to refugees. The Guardian. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Friedman, Victoria (January 9, 2018). Czech Prez: ’10 Million Migrants from Africa Could Come to European Union’. Breitbart News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Czech President Milos Zeman Calls Migrant Wave in Europe an ‘Organised Invasion’. Breitbart News. December 26, 2015. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Kent, Simon (January 17, 2016). Czech President: ‘It’s Impossible to Integrate Muslims into Western Europe’. Breitbart News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Czech President Follows Trump, Urges Israel Embassy Move to Jerusalem. Breitbart News. April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
- ↑ Montgomery, Jack (June 22, 2018). Czechs Hit Back Against EU Crackdown on Legal Gun-Owners: ‘Free Countries Don’t Disarm Their Citizens’. Breitbart News. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
- ↑ Bauerova, Ladka Mortkowitz (September 20, 2016). Trump Wins Endorsement From Another East European Leader. Bloomberg. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Shaw, Adam (January 27, 2018). Pro-Trump Czech president who warned of 'organized invasion' of migrants wins re-election. Fox News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Day, Matthew (January 27, 2018). Pro-Russia Czech president Milos Zeman wins second term. The Telegraph. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Czech Elections: Anti-Migration President Defeats Leftist Academic Challenger. Breitbart News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Mortkowitz, Siegfried (January 26, 2018). Prague’s turn for populist vs. liberal showdown. Politico. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ↑ Pro-Trump Milos Zeman Inaugurated for Second Term as Czech President. Breitbart News. March 8, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2018.
- ↑ Czech president announces 3-stage plan to move embassy to Jerusalem – eventually. Times of Israel. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
- ↑ Montgomery, Jack (April 1, 2019). Czech Prez: Brexit EU’s Fault, No Second Ref for 10 Years, May ‘Ridiculous’. Breitbart News. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ↑ Mortkowitz, Siegfried (November 14, 2017). The Czech Republic’s anti-Havel. Politico. Retrieved January 27, 2018.