Leader Miroslav Lidinský Political position Right-wing | Membership 273 | |
Founded 13 June 2013 (2013-06-13) Headquarters Papírenská 6B, 160 00 Prague 6 Ideology Czech nationalism
Right-wing populism
Anti-immigration
Euroscepticism
Direct democracy | ||
Dawn - National Coalition (Czech: Úsvit - Národní koalice), short Dawn, formerly (from June 2014 to August 2015) Dawn of Direct Democracy (Czech: Úsvit přímé demokracie) or (from June 2013 to June 2014) Tomio Okamura's Dawn of Direct Democracy (Czech: Úsvit přímé demokracie Tomia Okamury), is a right-wing populist and eurosceptic political party in the Czech Republic.
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The party was founded in May 2013 by Tomio Okamura, independent senator attached to the Christian Democratic parliamentary group. Tomio Okamura's Dawn of Direct Democracy favours the implementation of direct democracy at all levels "as a solution to the corruption, nepotism, clientelism and kleptocracy," the use of referenda, the direct election of deputies, senators, mayors and regional governors, a presidential system and, consequently, a stronger separation of powers.
Original Dawn of Direct Democracy candidates include members of Public Affairs, a former member of the Civic Democratic Party, and a representative of Moravané.
In the parliamentary election of 2013 the party obtained 342 339 votes (6.88%) and gained 14 seats.
Party crisis by month
On 19 January 2015, Chief Whip Radim Fiala was removed and replaced by Marek Černoch.
In February 2015, the majority of the nine members of the party, and most of the 14 members of the Dawn deputy group decided to establish a new party, independent on the current leader of the Dawn, Tomio Okamura. On 26 February 2015, Okamura announced that the party's finance is in shambles. After the successful election, the Dawn of Direct Democracy annually receive millions of Czech crowns from the state.
Several members of Dawn have created new parties: including Freedom and Direct Democracy led by Okamura and the National Interests led by Petr Adam
On 7 July 2015, Dawn announced plans to merge with the Party of the National Interests, which became official in August the same year. Retired veteran Miroslav Lidinský was elected as party chairman and its name was changed to Dawn - National Coalition. They also started cooperation with civic initiative We Don't Want Islam in the Czech Republic, of leader Martin Konvička.