The Czech government's new culture war assault on press freedom shows the Maga spirit is still alive in Europe | Jan Bělíček

Oto Klempíř, former frontman of JAR, is now Czechia's culture minister, promoting controversial policies that threaten media independence and cultural expression. His party, Motorists for Themselves, is aligned with nationalist and populist ideologies, drawing parallels to tactics used by leaders like Viktor Orbán. Klempíř's proposed legislation could restrict funding for public media and censor political content in literary journals, raising concerns about a return to oppressive practices reminiscent of the communist era. The government's actions reflect a broader trend of wealthy elites leveraging culture wars to consolidate power and protect their interests, undermining democracy and public interest media.