Czech Republic: The Liberal National Social Party; its political platform, whether the Party ran candidates in elections in 1994, the treatment of members of the Party by the government and by the security forces, and whether the Party issues membership cards and, if so, a sample copy (January 1994 - October 1998)
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CZE30229.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Czech Republic: The Liberal National Social Party; its political platform, whether the Party ran candidates in elections in 1994, the treatment of members of the Party by the government and by the security forces, and whether the Party issues membership cards and, if so, a sample copy (January 1994 - October 1998), 1 October 1998, CZE30229.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac7d77.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Political Handbook of the World 1997 states:
Free Democrats-Liberal National Social Party (Svobodni Demokrate-Liberalni Narodne Socialni Strana-SD-LNSS). The centrist SD-LNSS was formed as a merger of the SD and LNSS in late 1995, although most LNSS deputies rejected the union and later launched the Civic National Movement (ONH, below). The SD component, dating as such from 1993, derived from the Civic Movement (OH) wing of the Civic Forum (OF) launched in 1991 but unrepresented in the 1992-1996 parliament.
The LNSS was descended from the National Socialist Party (founded in 1897), which played a dominant role in the interwar period and was a member of the postwar Communist-led National Front, becoming the Czechoslovak Socialist party (Ceskoslovenska Strana Socialisticka-CSS) in 1948. Unsuccessful in the 1990 election, the CSS in 1991 merged with the former Agrarian party (Zemedelska Strana-KS) and the Green Party (SZ, below) to form a Liberal Social Union (Liberalne Socialni Unie-LSU) that won 16 Czech National Council seats in 1992 but thereafter suffered dissension and broke up, most of the old CSS component eventually opting in June 1993 to form the centrist-inclined LNSS.
In March 1996 Martin Bursik resigned as SD-LNSS deputy chairman after other party leaders had been implicated in various scandals. Leaders: Jiri Dienstbier and Vavrinec Bodenlos (Chairmen), Milan Vidlicka (Secretary General) (219).
A 17 October 1994 Czechoslovak Press Agency article states that the Liberal Social National Party (LSNP) was running 2,000 candidates in the local elections of 18 and 19 November 1994.
No information on the political platform of the National Socialist Liberal Party (apart from the above citation referring to it as a centrist party), the treatment of members of the Party by the government and by the security forces, and whether the Party issues membership cards, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Czechoslovak Press Agency News Agency [Prague, in English]. 13 October 1994. "Politics; Communists React to Havel's Refusal to Meet Party's Group of Deputies." (BBC Summary 17 Oct. 1994/NEXIS)
Political Handbook of the World 1997. 1997. Edited by A. S. Banks. Binghamton, NY: CSA Publications.
Additional Sources Consulted
Electronic Sources: IRB databases, Internet, NEXIS/LEXIS, REFWORLD, WNC.
CSCE Digest [Washington]. January 1994 - December 1996.
International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights. Annual Reports. 1995, 1997, 1998.
Transition [Prague]. January 1995 - October 1998.
Uncaptive Minds [Washington]. Winter 1994 - Fall 1997.
Resource Centre country file on the Czech Republic. January 1994 - September 1998.
Unsuccessful attempts to contact oral sources.