This is Czechia, also known as the Czech Republic, a nation with a rich history and cultural heritage, located in the heart of Central Europe. The term "Czechia" is the short, geographical name, officially adopted in 2016 to simplify international references, similar to "France" instead of "The French Republic." The Czech Republic, on the other hand, remains the country's formal, political name. Renowned for its architectural gems like Prague Castle and the Charles Bridge, Czechia's capital, Prague, is often hailed as "the City of a Hundred Spires. Prague was even voted as the most beautiful city in the world by Time Out magazine in 2021, and having lived there myself, I can personally attest to the city's breathtaking beauty and charm. Czechia, with a population of over 10 million, is landlocked between Germany, Austria, Slovakia, and Poland. Czechia occupies a strategic position in Central Europe, reflecting its significant role in the region's cultural and political dynamics. So, how did Czechia become a member of the European Union? Join us in the 6th video of our series, where we explore each of EU member states and their role within the EU, one by one. As always, let's start with history. Czechoslovakia, part of which we now call Czechia, was a country formed in 1918 after World War I. It combined the regions of Bohemia, Moravia, Silesia, Slovakia and Subcarpathian Rus. But in October 1938, things took a wild turn with the Munich Agreement. Basically, the big European countries let Nazi Germany take a chunk of Czechoslovakia called the Sudetenland – obviously this was done without Czechoslovakia’s consent and has since been referred to as “About us, Without us”! Then, in March 1939, Germany grabbed the rest of the Czech regions, and just like that, Czechoslovakia lost its independence during World War II. After the war, in 1948, Czechoslovakia flipped again. The communists jumped in, wanting to run things like the Soviet Union. This shift marked a significant departure from the democratic foundations, as communists started calling the shots, changing everything from how the country was run to taking away people’s private property. The winds of change began to stir in August 1968 with the Prague Spring, a movement aimed to introduce "communism with a human face," advocating for reforms to humanise the existing regime. However, this period of liberalisation was short-lived, abruptly ended by the Warsaw Pact invasion, led by the Soviet Union, of Czechoslovakia within the same month. The Velvet Revolution in 1989 was the real game-changer, ending the communist regime and shifting Czechoslovakia towards democracy and capitalism. This peaceful uprising marked a major turning point, transforming the nation from a Soviet-style system to a modern democracy. Then, on New Year’s Day 1993, Czechoslovakia split up super peacefully into Czechia and Slovakia, primarily due to growing nationalist sentiments and political differences between the Czech and Slovak regions. Fun fact: This was one of the only peaceful country splits in the world! The next few years were like a highlight reel. Czechia joined the OECD in 1994, NATO in 1999, and finally, the big one – the European Union in 2004. Despite being an EU member, Czechia sticks with its own currency, the Czech Crown, instead of the Euro. While there's talk about adopting the Euro, it doesn’t look like that's going to happen anytime soon. Adding to its European integration, in December 2007, Czechia entered the Schengen Area, allowing for passport-free travel across many European countries. Today, Czechia is like the comeback kid of Europe. It bounced back from a ton of changes in the 20th century and now stands proud as a modern, democratic country playing a big part on the world stage. Regarding Czechia's economy today, its GDP, at 276 billion Euros in 2022, is right in the middle when compared to many of its EU counterparts. But with a GDP per capita of 26 thousand euros, it ranks 17th in Europe—ahead of Portugal and Lithuania but trailing Estonia and Slovenia. Notably, with the EU average GDP per capita at 35 thousand euros, Czechia has some catching up to do to reach the European average. The EU Single market has been very good for Czechia, as Intra-EU trade accounts for a whopping 80% of Czechia’s exports. In the EU the main recipients are Germany (30%), Slovakia (8%) and Poland (6%) and outside of the EU the 2% goes to the US. In terms of imports, 73% comes from EU Member States, Germany leads again (28%), followed by Poland (9%) and the Netherlands (7%). From non-EU nations 11% comes from China, and 2% from the US and Russia. In terms of politics, Czechia is a parliamentary democracy, established by its new constitution in December 1992. The President holds a primarily ceremonial role, symbolising the nation at official events and on the international stage, while maintaining political neutrality. The real driving force in governance is the Prime Minister, who, as the head of government, is responsible for policy implementation, legislative initiatives, and managing domestic affairs. This system ensures that, although the President is the country's figurehead, it's the government, democratically elected by the people, that truly runs the nation. Delving deeper, Czechia's Parliament is bicameral, consisting of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The Chamber of Deputies has 200 members who serve four-year terms, elected on a proportional basis by voters across the whole of the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, the Senate's 81 members, serving six-year terms, are elected every two years for a third of the seats, but through district-based elections where local voters choose their direct representatives. Right now, Czechia's Chamber of Deputies is run by a mix of five parties teamed up in a coalition. Three of these parties are part of the centre-right gang called Spolu, which means "Together" in Czech. They're all about liberal conservatism and Christian democracy. The other two parties are part of the liberal progressive centrist group. Together, this five-party squad holds a solid majority with 108 out of 200 seats. The priorities of the ruling coalition are promoting economic growth and stability, improving healthcare and social services, and maintaining strong pro-EU relations. On the European level, Czechia is allocated 21 seats in the European Parliament in accordance with its population. Among the 27 countries, Czechia ranks 8th in terms of MEPs, with Germany, the most populous, having 96 MEPs, and Malta, the smallest, having 6 MEPs. 5 Czech MEP’s are part of the center-right EPP Group, 1 is part of the center-left S&D, 4 have joined the eurosceptic conservative ECR Group, 1 is part of the far right eurosceptic I&D group. another 5 are part of the centrist liberal Renew party, 3 more are part of the Greens, 1 is a member of the far-left party, The Left. And 1 is unaffiliated. P2: So, Czechias voters lean slightly to the right when it comes to their European representation. In terms of Eurocepticim, Czechia currently largely leans pro-EU with only 5 MEPs aligning to the ECR group or I&D group. But this might change in the next election. But it doesn’t stop there, Czechia's impact extends to the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU. Věra Jourová, serving as the EU Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency since 2019, has made significant contributions. Her role was pivotal in the passing and implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, a landmark move in data protection and privacy. This achievement earned her a spot on Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people, highlighting her influential role in shaping critical EU policies. So, let's chat about Czechia's relationship with the EU. Do the two get along? It's kind of a mixed bag, really. Way back in 2003, when they had a referendum about joining the EU, 77% were all for it, even though just over half of the population turned up to vote. Fast forward to 2023, and you've got about 63% of Czechs saying they'd stick with the EU if asked again. But here's the twist – Czechia is still one of the most eurosceptic countries around. Czechia greatly benefits from EU funds, receiving around 2.8 billion euros more than that it contributes. Not to mention the impact of the Single Market, as the EU is by far Czechia’s largest trading partner. However, this is not winning over the public, as only 1 in 3 Czechs view membership positively. Why's that? Well, there are a few reasons. Firstly, consider the EU's handling of the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Interestingly, about two-thirds of Czechs feel that both the EU and their own government are more focused on helping these refugees than their own citizens. Next, there's the issue of wages. The average income in Czechia hasn't kept pace with its wealthier neighbours like Germany or Austria, which stirs some discontent. Then, look at the political landscape. The older, pro-EU Czech parties aren't getting the same support they used to. Plus, the Czech government from 2017 to 2021 leaned towards populist ideas, often not in line with pro-EU sentiments. Additionally, there's a strong nationalist thread in the way Czech history is taught in schools. This, coupled with a feeling among many Czechs that their 21 MEPs don't give them enough of a voice in the EU, adds to the mixed feelings about the Union. To wrap it up, many Czechs identify themselves as 'Euroreformists.' They're looking for some changes in the EU. In short, they want less EU involvement in everyday life but expect more EU action in defence and quality of life improvements. And to be honest, at the EU Made Simple we agree! Things need to change. We really like this reform proposal currently making its way through the EU Parliament, or the idea of a more integrated European Army. So check out these videos if you are interested. But what are your thoughts on Czechia's role in the EU? Czech viewers, we'd love to hear from you in the comments! If you liked the video, don't forget to subscribe, and for more support, consider joining our Patreon. Until next time!