Občanská demokratická strana (ODS / Civic Democratic Party)
EU RANK: 88 (Tier 2: High Performance)
ODS is a liberal‑conservative, economically pro‑market party and one of Czechia’s traditional major forces, currently leading the SPOLU alliance and the government. It combines strong Atlanticism and support for Ukraine with more sceptical positions on some aspects of EU integration, particularly regulation and fiscal rules.
Disinformation and alternative media
ODS communicates via mainstream media and a professional online presence and does not own major commercial outlets. Its leadership strongly rejects pro‑Kremlin narratives, particularly since the full‑scale invasion of Ukraine, and supports state capacity to counter foreign disinformation.
However, some ODS politicians have flirted with Eurosceptic and climate‑sceptic rhetoric and appeared on polarising talk shows, creating limited overlap with narratives circulating in populist ecosystems, even if not embracing full conspiracy frames. Disinformation/alternative‑media DMI risk is medium.
Foreign influence and external alignments
ODS is firmly pro‑NATO and backs robust support for Ukraine, sanctions on Russia and a hard line against Russian intelligence operations, reflected in decisions like the Vrbetice case response. It is more cautious on deeper EU political integration but does not advocate Czexit; its criticism focuses on sovereignty in taxation, migration and culture.
There is no evidence that ODS is structurally linked to Russian or Chinese influence networks; rather, previous vulnerability stemmed from the broader Czech economic model and oligarchic media ownership, now being partly addressed. Foreign‑influence risk is low–medium.
Media capture, advertising and public service media
ODS historically had close links to parts of the Czech business and media elite, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s; many of those networks later shifted toward ANO and other projects. Today, ODS leaders rhetorically support Česká televize independence and criticise Babiš‑style media capture, but as a governing party they influence appointments to councils and regulators, which watchdogs scrutinise closely.
At regional and municipal levels, ODS‑led administrations can shape local media through advertising and ownership structures, with some documented cases of favouritism. Media‑capture DMI risk is medium–high.
Corruption, litigation and institutional integrity
ODS has a long history of corruption scandals, including illegal party funding and patronage in public procurement, which contributed to its electoral collapse in 2013. While the current leadership under Petr Fiala projects a cleaner, technocratic image, litigation records still show several cases from the last decade involving ODS‑linked regional and municipal figures.
Reform efforts and coalition checks have reduced but not eliminated systemic risks. Corruption and institutional‑integrity DMI risk is high.
Press freedom, harassment and treatment of media
Compared to ANO and the radical right, ODS generally uses more conventional political rhetoric about media, defending PSBs against overt capture but sometimes attacking individual journalists for perceived bias. It has not systematically used SLAPPs or regulatory threats against critical outlets, though its historical entanglement with business media means economic pressures can still operate indirectly.
Press‑freedom and harassment DMI risk is medium.
| Dimension | Risk level | Short justification |
|---|---|---|
| Disinformation & alternative media | Medium | Pro‑Western line but some overlap with Eurosceptic and climate‑sceptic narratives by individual figures. |
| Foreign influence & external alignments | Low–Medium | Strongly pro‑NATO and anti‑Kremlin; systemic exposure mainly historical. |
| Media‑capture & advertising / PSB control | Medium–High | Governing party with historical business links and influence over councils and local media. |
| Corruption & institutional‑integrity risk | High | Long record of funding and procurement scandals, with several cases in last decade. |
| Press‑freedom & harassment of media | Medium | Defends PSBs overall but engages in occasional strong attacks on critical journalists. |