Far-left political parties, their origin, ideological positioning and place in the Czech Republic’s party system (1990–2015): the case of the communist party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM)

Abstract

The article is dedicated to analyzing the features of far-left political parties in the Czech Republic in 1990–2015. In particular, the paper focuses on the main among them, i.e. the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM). The author reviewed the history and origin of far-left political parties in the Czech Republic, outlined the parameters of their ideological positioning and ideolog- ical peculiarities of the Czech left extremism. As a result, it was proved that the extreme left-wing political parties in the Czech Republic are unreformed one and are used to reflect the most classical principles of Marxism-Leninism, though they have become relevant within the whole history of the Czech Republic. The researcher argued that the relevance of the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia as a key far-left party in the Czech Republic is outlined with its parliamentary representation, but simultaneously is determined with non-participation of the party in the government formation, especially due to the use of the measures of political isolation (technique of “cordon sanitaire”).