The Czech ANO party of former Prime Minister Andrej Babiš has given ALDE – a pan-European liberal political party, which is represented in the European Parliament as Renew Europe – materials in which it defends its liberalism in a bid to remain in the European liberal family.
ALDE’s congress expressed concerns over ANO’s commitment to liberal values in May, ANO’s leader Babiš leans towards the nationalist and conservative line. ANO party is leading Czech polls but is currently in opposition as it did not have allies to form a coalition.
The process now continues – as Hospodářské noviny reported, the ANO party handed over materials to the ALDE, explaining its allegiance to liberalism.
On several pages in English, which were written by ANO MEP Martin Hlaváček, the party advocates for the EU and NATO and supports the policies of liberal parties in Europe, whether it is the aforementioned aid to Ukrainians or the legalisation of same-sex marriage.
“Since its foundation, ANO’s main values have been the fight against corruption and fraud, an efficient and well-managed, transparent state,” Babiš’s party tells its EU allies, for example.
ANO 2011 was founded as an anti-corruption movement and has appealed to many voters with this line.
(Aneta Zachová | EURACTIV.cz)
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