Michal Horáček (born 23 July 1952) is a Czechentrepreneur, lyricist, poet, writer, journalist and music producer. From 2007 until 2010, he was the chairman of the Czech Academy of Popular Music.[2][3] He founded Czech betting company Fortuna.[4] He stood to become Czech president in the 2018 presidential election, but came in 4th in the first round, failing to advance.
2018 presidential election
In April 2016, Horáček announced his possible candidacy in the 2018 Czech presidential election.[5] Horáček announced his candidacy on 7 October 2016.[6] He officially launched his campaign on 3 November 2016.[7] He said that he wanted his campaign to be based on respect for all people and their opinions.[8]
Horáček announced his advisers on 9 February 2017, including former Slovak presidential candidate Magdaléna Vášáryová, nuclear energy safety expert Dana Drábová, and surgeon Pavel Pafko.[9] In 16 April 2017, Horáček started gathering the 50,000 signatures required for participation in the election.[10] On 6 May he reported that he had gathered the required number of signatures.[11] Horáček finished fourth of the nine candidates, with 9.18% of the vote.[12] Horáček then endorsed Jiří Drahoš for the second round.[13]
Political views
Horáček once said that "left-wing thinking isn't thinking",[14] but later said that he had changed his mind and started to consider it more seriously.[15] He describes himself as neither left-wing nor right-wing,[16] but his platform for the 2018 presidential election was described by political scientists as left-wing.[17] He supports European Union membership but would not oppose a referendum about leaving it.[18][19]
Horáček stated in July 2016 that opposing immigration was "like opposing rain", and added that Czechs have historically helped immigrants.[20][21] He has expressed opposition to migration quotas and to accepting large numbers of refugees, saying that the Czech Republic should not accept immigrants that Czechs do not want to accept.[22][23]
Personal life
Horáček is a Roman Catholic.[24] His great-uncle Jaroslav Heyrovský, a chemist and inventor, became the first Czech recipient of the Nobel Prize in 1959.[25]
