As the wave of protests against Donald Trump continues to spread across the United States, American activists are starting to turn their eyes overseas for lessons and inspiration. The Czech Republic has a hospice history of political change. It offers a powerful roadmap for translating street demonstrations into a cohesive electoral movement that is more than capable of ousting autocratic incumbents. This Eastern European country, once under the grip of communist dictatorship, has witnessed its share of challenges and successes in transitioning to democracy, which can resonate with American citizens seeking to challenge their current political landscape.
The Czech Republic’s history is steeped with the legacies of communist rule and the Habsburg Empire. This past history on its long road to democracy all the more makes it remarkable and inspiring. Fascinatingly, it has personal connections to Trump as well, as the city is the birthplace of his first wife Ivana. Today, though, the country finds itself struggling against its own local strongman sometimes called “the Czech Trump,” the Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Among the accusations against Babiš are fraudulent activities, conflicts of interest, and misuse of power for private benefit. His connection to the former communist secret police, the StB, where he reportedly acted as an informer, further complicates his political narrative.
Yet in the face of these criminal fraud charges, Babiš has predictably and defiantly refused to step down. In reaction to his increasingly autocratic maneuvers, the civic movement Million Moments for Democracy has sprung up. Most importantly, they are inspiringly mobilizing massive protests in Prague and across the country. The demonstrators intend to check Babiš’s anti-democratic turn and renew faith in civic activism.
Fortunately, a parallel development was occurring across the Atlantic. On April 5, well over 100,000 students and workers marched at the “Save Our Community” rally in Washington D.C., flexing their newfound political muscle. The goal of the day was to inspire timid voters and fearful Trump critics, who might be cowed by his confrontational speech, to act. The protests turned out to be the most powerful. Their track record underscores the efforts of once solid pillars of American democracy to coalesce a muscular, unified resistance since Trump entered office.
The success of the demonstrations in the Czech Republic provides invaluable lessons for American activists. According to the Czech experience, discontent turning into electoral action was a necessary catalyst to make real changes to the Czech political landscape. Their protests have not only increased visibility, but converted that visibility into votes at the ballot box. This tactical paradigm gives American protesters, and anyone who wants to build movements to win meaningful change, a possible way forward.
Jiří Pehe, a well-known Czech political analyst, advises keeping a peaceful and hopeful attitude in protests. He notes that language matters:
“It’s crucial to remain non-violent and hopeful. Talking in front of lots of people, we realised you have to be careful about your language because if you are too negative or hateful, it can defeat your purpose. Remember that the other side are people. They’re your brothers and sisters.”
Pehe highlights the strategy employed by Czech activists to awaken public consciousness regarding their agency in shaping political outcomes:
“It was this overall strategy of waking people up and telling them: ‘Look, you have agency. You can change things. You are not just passive observers of what’s going on, but you can change things, but you have to be active.’”
Pehe cautions that the Czech Republic’s experience should serve to motivate U.S. protesters. To influence politics for genuine change, they must stage successive demonstrations with focused messaging directed at politicians. He asserts:
“If the Czech Republic is to be an example, these demonstrations need to happen again and again across the United States and they need to have one or two strong messages. There has to be a very strong message towards the political class because only it can actually change things. And in this case, there should be pressure on the Democrats, saying: ‘Look, it’s your task to stop Donald Trump.’”
Political scientists have contributed to the larger discussion of the place of protests in democratic systems. Steven Levitsky notes that while mass protests are less likely to topple governments in nations where elections remain a viable channel, they nevertheless play a significant role in shaping public opinion:
“Mass protest is less likely to bring down a government in a place where elections are a viable channel, meaning where it is still a democracy or near-democracy.”
Levitsky acknowledges that while direct outcomes such as resignation may remain elusive, protests can weaken governmental authority and shift media narratives.
“Protest is not going to lead to Donald Trump’s resignation, or Orbán’s, but that doesn’t mean it’s not relevant. Protest can weaken the government, can shape public opinion and the media framing and discourse, which is very important.”
He further emphasizes the potential impact protests can have on electoral outcomes:
“What the protest movement can do is contribute to an erosion of Trump’s popularity, and embolden opposition politicians and probably contribute to an electoral outcome in a couple years.”
Levitsky believes that protest movements are vital for energizing political opposition and fostering civic engagement:
“In that sense, these guys are not wasting their time. I think it’s a very important step in getting the opposition off the sidelines.”
For American activists looking to learn from the Czech example, these lessons underscore what may be the most important takeaway. They must seize the opportunity to turn their passion into sustained engagement, not just temporary bursts of protest. While Babiš has been able to maintain his position amid controversy, the pressure exerted by organized protests has kept him under scrutiny and has forced a conversation about accountability and governance.