Czech Young Greens

Czech Young Greens, known in Czech as Mladí zelení, is an independent youth organization operating within the Czech green movement. It provides a political and civic platform for young people interested in activism, public affairs, and progressive social and environmental causes. Individuals aged 30 or younger who share the organization’s principles and objectives may join; membership does not require membership in the Czech Green Party. The organization’s stated values combine ecological and social concerns. Its agenda includes the creation of an environmentally sustainable society, equality, social justice, animal rights, LGBTQ+ rights, participatory democracy, and youth activism. This places Czech Young Greens within the broader European family of green youth organizations while giving it a specifically Czech organizational and political context. Czech Young Greens was established in 2000, several years after the founding of the Czech Green Party. Although the two organizations have historically maintained close ties, Czech Young Greens is not simply a formal youth wing of the party. Their relationship became looser after a mutual memorandum of cooperation was annulled in 2019. The organization consequently operates with its own membership rules, internal bodies, political positions, and decision-making procedures. The supreme decision-making institution is an annual general assembly. The assembly elects two co-spokespersons and an executive committee of between four and six members. Elections use the single transferable vote system. Gender representation rules apply both to the spokespersons and to the executive committee: at least one elected co-spokesperson and at least one executive committee member must not be a cisgender man. An audit committee, consisting of at least three members and subject to a similar gender requirement, supervises the executive committee’s mandate and compliance with the organization’s statutes. Local organizations form the basic units of the group and are organized by city. The reference material identifies local groups in Ostrava, Tábor, Plzeň, Prague, and Olomouc; at least three active members are required to establish a local organization in a city. Czech Young Greens also participates in international and domestic civil-society networks. It is a member organization of the Federation of Young European Greens and the Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe, and it is a founding member of the Czech Association of Youth Organizations. The organization experienced a major internal rupture in June 2020, when members left collectively following a spontaneous assembly and helped establish the political movement Budoucnost, or “Future.” Budoucnost subsequently created its own youth organization, Budoucí. Czech Young Greens then went through a period of inactivity. Activity resumed in spring 2022, when new members were admitted and a special assembly was convened. That assembly elected a new executive committee led by co-spokespersons Martin Lekeš and Sabina Snížková. The available material does not provide current membership totals, budgets, offices, or a current leadership roster beyond those identified representatives.

Czech Young Greens, or Mladí zelení, was formed in 2000, several years after the establishment of the Czech Green Party. From its beginnings, it developed as a youth organization associated with the Czech green movement rather than as an ordinary commercial or membership brand. Its membership model is open to individuals aged 30 or younger who are interested in activism and politics and who support the organization’s principles. Membership in the Czech Green Party is not a prerequisite. The organization’s political identity has been shaped by an intersection of environmental and social objectives. Its declared concerns include ecological sustainability, equality, social justice, animal protection, LGBTQ+ rights, participatory democracy, and youth participation in public life. This broad agenda places it within the progressive wing of Czech civil society and links it to transnational green youth networks. Relations with the Czech Green Party were initially closer than they are today. The two organizations had a mutual memorandum of cooperation, but that arrangement was annulled in 2019. The change did not dissolve the connection between the organizations, but it established a more independent and less formally affiliated relationship. Czech Young Greens retained its own membership conditions, internal structures, and political activity. Its formal governance is centered on an annual general assembly. This body elects two co-spokespersons and an executive committee of four to six members. The organization uses the single transferable vote for these elections. Its statutes also contain gender-balance provisions: at least one of the co-spokespersons and at least one executive committee member must not be a cisgender man. An audit committee of at least three members monitors the executive committee and reviews compliance with the statutes, with a comparable gender requirement. Local organizations are organized by city and serve as the basic units of activity. The identified local groups are in Ostrava, Tábor, Plzeň, Prague, and Olomouc. A local organization requires at least three active members in the relevant city. Beyond its domestic activity, Czech Young Greens belongs to the Federation of Young European Greens and the Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe. It is also identified as a founding member of the Czech Association of Youth Organizations. A significant organizational break occurred in 2020. During a spontaneous assembly held on 20 June, some members collectively departed and helped create Budoucnost, a new political movement meaning “Future.” Budoucnost later established its own youth organization, Budoucí. Czech Young Greens became inactive for a period after this departure. Activity restarted in spring 2022 when new members were admitted. A special assembly then elected a new executive committee, led by co-spokespersons Martin Lekeš and Sabina Snížková. The available reference material does not establish whether they remain in office today, nor does it provide a complete current list of executive committee or audit committee members.

• 2022

  Activity resumes under new leadership

  [1]Czech Young Greensen.wikipedia.org

  New members were admitted in spring 2022, followed by a special assembly that elected an executive committee led by Martin Lekeš and Sabina Snížková.

• 2020

  Members depart to form Budoucnost

  [1]Czech Young Greensen.wikipedia.org

  A group of members left after a spontaneous assembly on 20 June and helped establish the political movement Budoucnost.

• 2019

  Formal cooperation memorandum annulled

  [1]Czech Young Greensen.wikipedia.org

  The mutual memorandum between Czech Young Greens and the Czech Green Party was annulled, making their relationship more independent and less formally affiliated.

• 2000

  Czech Young Greens formed

  [1]Czech Young Greensen.wikipedia.org

  Mladí zelení was established several years after the founding of the Czech Green Party as a youth organization connected to the Czech green movement.

A progressive, environmentally oriented youth organization combining green politics with social justice, equality, minority rights, animal rights, participatory democracy, and youth-led activism.

• 2022

  Special assembly elects a new executive committeeOther

  Background

  Following a period of inactivity after the 2020 split, new members were admitted in spring 2022.

  Action taken

  A special assembly elected an executive committee led by co-spokespersons Martin Lekeš and Sabina Snížková.

  Aftermath

  The organization resumed activity, although the available material does not provide later leadership updates.

  Source

• 2020

  Organizational split and formation of BudoucnostOther

  Background

  Internal members departed at a spontaneous assembly on 20 June 2020.

  Action taken

  The departing members helped establish Budoucnost, which later created the youth organization Budoucí.

  Aftermath

  Czech Young Greens experienced a period of inactivity before reopening membership and restarting organizational activity in 2022.

  Source

• 2019

  Move toward a looser relationship with the Czech Green PartyStrategy

  Background

  Czech Young Greens and the Czech Green Party had operated under a mutual memorandum of cooperation.

  Action taken

  The memorandum was annulled, leaving Czech Young Greens politically connected to but not formally dependent on the Green Party.

  Aftermath

  The organization continued to maintain its own membership rules and organizational structures, with party membership not required for participation.

  Source

1. 1Czech Young Greensen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Official website of Czech Young Greensmladi-zeleni.cz