Analysis Of the Activity Of the Czech MEPs During the 2014–2019 Term

Vít Havelka and Zuzana Stuchlíková from EUROPEUM Institute for European policy conducted an analysis of the activity of the Czech MEPs during the 2014–2019 term. The analysis combines quantitative and qualitative methods of research (including the interviews). The text contains, for example, the factors influencing MEPs' success, the impact of the national interests on their work, evaluations and recommendations.

• Results based on the quantitative part suggest that the most successful Czech MEPs were Pavel Telička (Hnutí Hlas, ALDE), Dita Charanzová (ANO, ALDE) and Kateřina Konečná (KSČM, GUE/NGL), whereas Jan Keller (ČSSD, S&D), Jiří Payne (Svobodní, EFDD) achieved the lowest score among the Czech MEPs. These results partial converge with the finding of the qualitative analysis, where respondents highlighted the performance of both Telička and Charanzová and couple of others MEPs such as Martina Dlabajová (ANO, ALDE), Pavel Svoboda (KDU-ČSL, EPP), Pavel Poc (ČSSD, S&D) and Olga Sehnalová (ČSSD, S&D).
• According to the conducted interviews, the key to success was familiarity with the parliamentary environment, strong profiling in one or two expert areas and capability to create professional network. Media presence in the Czech Republic and general political appeal for Czech voters proved irrelevant while pursuing political goals at the European level.
• Finally, membership in a relevant political group determined the overall influence of the respective MEPs. The larger the group was, the more likely it was for MEPs to influence legislation, once they were assigned with the dossier. Members of smaller political groups had an easier access to legislative files, while overall lower influence on the final compromise enacted by the European Parliament.

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Zuzana Stuchlíková
Associate Research Fellow

Expertise: Central Europe, EU Institutions

Vít Havelka
Senior Research Fellow

Expertise: EU institutional relations with member states, europeisation, transformation role of EU