European Commission critiques fact that non-Czech EU citizens cannot establish parties in the Czech Republic

The European Commission says the fact that the opportunity to join a political party and the right to establish a political party in the Czech Republic are restricted to Czech citizens only contravenes EU rules. The critique was included in a recently-published compilation of various offenses committed by the Member States against EU legislation. 

The Commission has sent what is termed a "reasoned opinion" on the issue to Prague, the second part of a three-phase procedure to ensure national legislation is harmonized with EU law. The Czech Republic now has two months to amend the law or the matter could ultimately end up before the Court of Justice of the European Union.  

Lithuania and Poland are in a similar situation over the same issue. In their cases, however, only the opportunity to establish a political party is restricted to their nationals. 

The Commission says the restrictions mean that people from other EU countries who live in the Czech Republic, Lithuania or Poland do not have the same rights to become candidates and to vote in either EU or local elections as the citizens of those countries do. "This contravenes EU law and the principle of the ban against discrimination on the basis of state affiliation, which means EU citizens are to have the opportunity to enjoy their rights under the same conditions as the nationals of a particular state," the Commission said.