Czech Republic: Awakening of Politics of Welfare

The Repoliticization of the Welfare State

“…The CMKOS trade union confederation organized these antiausterity rallies against welfare state and public wage cuts, arguing that proper social dialogue had not occurred around these measures (Dvorakova and Stroleny 2012;EPSU 2011). These protests represented an alliance of social democratic groups and other left-leaning political actors with a growing civil-society coalition united against the perceived neoliberal undermining of social rights in the country (Potůček 2012;Ripka and Mares 2016).…”

“…In addition to facing a veto by the ČSSD-controlled Senate, conservatives were also dealt a considerable setback in 2011 when the Constitutional Court declared that the emergency legislative procedures undertaken by the government were unconstitutional, thereby preventing the proposed austerity measures from moving forward (Freedom House 2013). The Constitutional Court has become a more significant political actor postcrisis, occasionally serving as a veto point for contentious legislation (Ripka and Mares 2016). The ČSSD, for example, made several appeals to the Constitutional Court to block conservative welfare cuts, including in areas such as pensions and healthcare (Ripka and Mares 2016).…”

“…The Constitutional Court has become a more significant political actor postcrisis, occasionally serving as a veto point for contentious legislation (Ripka and Mares 2016). The ČSSD, for example, made several appeals to the Constitutional Court to block conservative welfare cuts, including in areas such as pensions and healthcare (Ripka and Mares 2016). Despite extensive political hostility, in June 2011 the ODS was able to successfully push through neoliberal welfare reforms, in areas such as healthcare and unemployment benefits, in the lower house (Freedom House 2013).…”

“…The foundation for much of the political conflict has been competing visions for how to improve economic growth and address rising social problems between advocates and opponents of austerity. At the same time that the ODS lent strength to a proausterity agenda at the EU level, the legitimation of this strategy by powerful conservative actors, such as Germany and the ECB, reinforced the domestic austerity plans of the right-wing government (Ripka and Mares 2016).…”

Crossing the Border for Higher Status? Occupational Mobility of East–West Commuters in the Central European Region

“…Unemployment benefits are quite generous, especially in comparison to unemployment benefits in Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, which established much more liberal welfare systems over the course of the past two decades (cf. Fábián et al 2014;Guger et al 2009;Kahanec et al 2014;Lakner and Tausz 2016;Ripka and Mareš 2016). 7.…”