The 2018 Czech presidential election debates were a series of debates held for the 2018 Czech presidential election. The incumbent president and front-runner Miloš Zeman declined to participate in debates for the first round. Zeman agreed to participate in debates against Jiří Drahoš for the second round.
List of debates Date Debate Miloš Zeman Jiří Drahoš Mirek Topolánek Michal Horáček Vratislav Kulhánek Pavel Fischer Jiří Hynek Marek Hilšer Petr Hannig Source8 November 2017 Charles University, Prague 13 November 2017 Seznam News 16 November 2017 Liberec Library 20 November 2017 Train 27 November 2017 Seznam News 28 November 2017 University of West Bohemia, Plzeň 5 December 2017 Seznam News 8 December 2017 Seznam News 11 December 2017 Světozor, Prague 12 December 2017 Seznam News 12 December 2017 Jagello 2000 13 December 2017 Seznam News 13 December 2017 Masaryk University, Brno 14 December 2017 University of Economics, Prague 15 December 2017 Proglas 18 December 2017 Czech Television 19 December 2017 Seznam News 20 December 2017 Seznam News 20 December 2017 Dox, Prague 20 December 2017 Czech Television 20 December 2017 Czech Television 21 December 2017 Seznam News 27 December 2017 Czech Radio 28 December 2017 Czech Radio 29 December 2017 Czech Radio 30 December 2017 Czech Radio 2 January 2018 Battle for Castle 3 January 2018 Euro Magazine 3 January 2018 TOPAZ 4 January 2018 Czech Economical Chamber 4 January 2018 Association of Private Agriculture 4 January 2018 Battle for Castle 9 January 2018 Battle for Castle 10 January 2018 Battle for Castle 11 January 2018 Czech Television 23 January 2018 Prima 25 January 2018 Czech Television P = Present A = Absent
First round debates Charles University debate
The first debate was held on 8 November 2017 at Charles University. Jiří Drahoš, Michal Horáček, Marek Hilšer, Jiří Hynek, Pavel Fischer, Petr Hannig and Mirek Topolánek participated in the debate. Miloš Zeman refused to participate and instead went to Olomouc region to meet with citizens. According to Hospodářské noviny, Topolánek and Hilšer seemed as the most civil candidates. Audience was allowed to vote who they like the most. Everyone had 3 plus votes and 1 minus vote. Drahoš had 333 votes, Hilšer 227 votes, Horáček 176 votes, Fischer 128 votes, Topolánek 36 votes, Hynek minus 12 votes, Hannig minus 266 votes.
Hilšer stated that he does not want a president who was involved with dirty politics in past years. Topolánek stated that his candidacy is caused by the current political situation. Horáček stated he would disinfect Prague Castle if he is elected. Moderator then mentioned Drahoš's attack against Topolánek. Drahoš stated that he is not scared of Topolánek and stated that he will most likely explain this to Topolánek. Topolánek answered that "it was either written by a woman or PR Mage. I forgave Professor whether I ever took it seriously." Topolánek was asked if he is a candidate. He mentioned that speculations that his candidacy might be invalid are purposeful. He stated that president should be a strong persona and know the ropes in politics. He mentioned his experiences. He also stated that he would not pardon his former associate Marek Dalík. Drahoš stated that he wants Prague Castle to be open. Topolánek mentioned that he was unprepared for the discussion and can say how he feels about things. Hynek expressed regrets about Realists failure in 2017 legislative election. Topolánek called for defense of Schengen border. Drahoš stated that he wants respect for principles.
Seznam News Debate Seznam News held a presidential debate on 13 November 2017. Mirek Topolánek, Jiří Drahoš, Michal Horáček, Pavel Fischer, Marek Hilšer and Vratislav Kulhánek participated. Topolánek dominated the debate.
The introductory part was informal. Candidates discussed whether the new president should be a politician or someone out of politics. Michal Horáček stated he believes that the new president should not be a politician. Topolánek talked about his experiences when he was President of the Council of the European Union and had to deal with Gas crisis.
Candidates also talked about Miloš Zeman. Kulhánek stated that Zeman's absence in debates is visible and makes it impossible to defend against his attacks. Fischer stated that Zeman should defend his mandate in debates. Drahoš noted that it is Zeman's own decision to not participate. Topolánek stated that he believes that Zeman knows what he does and that Zeman sends a message to voters "that they should only pick him a rival for the second round." Hilšer noted he thinks it is a lack of respect to voters.
Topolánek was then asked whom he would designate the new Prime Minister. He stated that he would meet Babiš and told him that he should choose someone else to be the Prime Minister instead of him. He also mentioned that he would call snap election if the third attempt to form a coalition government would fail. Fischer stated he does not see political creativity in Zeman's position and believes the president could be more active just as Václav Havel and Václav Klaus were. Hilšer stated that Zeman is an ally of Andrej Babiš even though he previously called Babiš an unreliable person.
In the second part the candidates asked questions. Candidates were asked if they believe that the democracy is in danger. Drahoš stated he does not think Czech democracy is in danger but believes that Czech people should be vigilant. Fischer believed that democracy is endangered by passivity and by limitations of freedom of speech. Hilšer stated that democracy is not in danger but he feels danger in privatisation of political power and that Czech democracy might go an authoritarian way. Horáček stated that democracy is always in danger. Kulhánek does not think democracy is in danger and believes that Senate and Constitutional Court can defend democracy. Topolánek stated that every democracy is in danger and every democracy has symptoms of self-destruction. He believes that we should always see symptoms of danger for democracy. He stated he sees that personal freedom is secretly being cut while people does not realise it.
Candidates were asked why they want to be president. Hilšer stated he is part of generation that did not live in totalitarian regime and wants to take responsibility. He also stated that he is an independent candidate who is not allied with political subjects. Horáček promised radical independence and stated he can recognize dirty players. Kullhánek stated he accomplished everything by himself and can offer his experience as he spent his life in a factory among regular people. Fischer talked about instability in world and believes that his experience as an ambassador and as an adviser of Václav Havel makes him a good candidate. Topolánek stated he is a democrat who knows where the Czech Republic belongs. He mentioned that he has a political past and everybody knows what to expect from him. Topolánek stated that he learns from mistakes and does not make the same mistake twice. Drahoš offered the experiences of a scientist and a manager. He stated he negotiated with politicians and saved the Czech Academy of Sciences. He mentioned he does not have a political past.
Candidates were asked how they would convince lower-class people to vote for them. Fischer stated that he would support justice for everybody. Drahoš stated that there are such people and he thinks that these people are under influence of some politicians. He would talk with them and tell them that laws apply to everybody. Hilšer mentioned that he comes from regions that are less developed and stated that some politicians created Mafia and created these problems. Topolánek mentioned problems that made them dissatisfied. He mentioned dissatisfaction with development after Velvet Revolution and with all political representations since the revolution. He mentioned fear of poverty and immigrants. He stated that it will be a difficult and a long job to convince these people to believe in politics again. Kulhánek stated that he would make them promises that he would help them and then keep them. Horáček stated that these people are angry at people who do not work and use social system as an opportunity.
In the last part candidates were asked whether they would confirm a criminally charged Prime Minister. Only Horáček stated that he would. Another question was whether candidates would support a referendum about the Czech Republic leaving European Union. All candidates declined even though Topolánek stated that he could consider leaving the EU in future but not in the current situation. Candidates were also asked about the pardon for Jiří Kajínek. None of candidates agreed with the pardon. Only Pavel Fischer declined to answer as he considers the question obsolete.
Candidates were also asked about Russia. Marek Hilšer, Michal Horáček and Pavlel Fischer answered they consider Russia the biggest threat to the Czech Republic while Mirek Topolánek, Jiří Drahoš and Vratislav Kulhánek disagreed. Hilšer stated that candidates that do not consider Russia the biggest security threat have business interests there. Topolánek called Hilšer's words a cheap move. Hilšer stated that Russia is dangerous through hybrid war and could influence a possible referendum about Czech membership in European Union. Drahoš stated that he sees North Korea as a bigger threat than Russia. Topolánek stated that Czechs are a bigger security threat to themselves because they are unable to build a proper army that could defend the country. He also stated that terrorism and Islamism is a bigger threat than Russia. He stated that the Czech Republic only needs Russian markets but does not need Russian imperialism. Kulhánek considers poverty in some African and Asian regions the biggest threat to the Czech Republic because it leads to uncontrollable immigration. Horáček stated that he considers Russia the biggest threat. Fischer stated that NATO should take Russian seriously.
The last question was about security measures at the Prague Castle. All candidates believe these measures are too excessive. Candidates stated they will endorse Zeman's opponent in the second round.
Liberec Library debate The debate was held on 16 November 2017. All candidates with exception of Miloš Zeman debated in Liberec Library. The debate was held by DVTV. DVTV then held a survey on Twitter to decide which candidate was the most convincing. Mirek Topolánek received the highest number of votes.
Topolánek stated that the first Czech Republic ends and Second Czech Republic will start. Candidates talked about government formation. Drahoš stated that he would not approach government formation the same way as Miloš Zeman while Hannig stated that he would approach the same way as Zeman. Topolánek stated he considers Andrej Babiš a danger for progress since Velvet Revolution but would approach him professionally. Hynek stated that he would cooperate with Babiš. Candidates then talked about a case of racist comments to a photo of students from Teplice Elementary. Hannig was the only candidate to not have problem with it. Drahoš stated that he does not think Czech people are racist but some politicians spread fear.
Fischer was asked about competences of President. He stated that he would not touch the constitution. Hannig stated that would not have problem with a Semi-presidential system. Horáček then criticised security measures at Prague Castle. Drahoš and Hynek criticised Zeman. Topolánek stated that president's health should be known to public because he is the commander-in-chief of the Military of the Czech Republic. Hannig disagreed.
Hynek - Hannig Duel Jiří Hynek and Petr Hannig participated in a debate by Seznam Zprávy on 27 November 2017.
University of West Bohemia