“One Flew Over the Stork’s Nest”: Neo-patrimonial Populism of Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš

Abstract

Following the discussion on the relation of populism, its typology and neutral bureaucracy, this text examines the communication practice of the former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš regarding the European subsidies. Using the mixed content analysis of several years of Babiš’s statements, we shall verify two theses: Babiš’s rhetoric is dominantly populist and Babiš’s rhetoric is neo-patrimonial. The analysis results imply Babiš’s case to be a new and not yet described form of populism that we identify as “neo-patrimonial populism” and that complements the standard populist communication with practices not distinguishing between the public and personal interest, property, and status.