As global antisemitism skyrockets after Hamas atrocities, Czech politics shamefully flirts with extremist figures endangering Jews.
A fresh political storm has erupted in Prague after Andrej Babiš’s populist ANO party submitted a cabinet nomination that has triggered widespread outrage. Among the proposed ministers was Filip Turek of the far-right Motorists party—a figure whose past includes performing a Nazi salute and sharing Nazi-themed memorabilia online. Though he later attempted to dismiss these actions as “bad humor,” the stains of extremism continue to shadow him.
President Petr Pavel immediately reiterated his objections, stressing that individuals linked to neo-Nazi imagery or racist rhetoric have no place in government—especially at a time when hatred against Jews is exploding across Europe.
Turek, now being considered for the environment ministry after an earlier suggestion for foreign minister, has refused to directly confront the allegations or convincingly deny the authenticity of earlier racist posts exposed by local media.
This controversy coincides with a deeply troubling report from the Czech Federation of Jewish Communities, revealing a record-breaking 4,694 antisemitic incidents in 2024—an 8.5% increase from the previous year, which had already seen a staggering 90% surge following Hamas’s barbaric October 7 massacre of Israeli civilians.
Federation head Petr Papoušek warned that the Czech Republic is being swept up in the same “explosive global wave of antisemitism” unleashed by pro-Palestinian and Arab nationalist agitation after Hamas’s terror assault. The political flirtation with a nominee linked to extremist symbols only amplifies concerns that Europe’s democratic institutions are becoming vulnerable to radical influences at a moment of unprecedented hostility toward Jews.
With coalition talks underway and international scrutiny intensifying, Babiš now faces pressure to withdraw a nomination that risks normalizing dangerous extremist sentiments at a time when Israel and Jewish communities worldwide are confronting a surge in hate fueled by Gaza-based terror propaganda.
