Emotions

This chapter explores the emotions and ideologies of Czech political elites during the migration crisis, focusing on their perception of the migration quotas. Emotions, such as fear, anger, and trust, are linked to Czech political elites’ perception of the migration crisis. Emotions are essential in international relations as they help uncover states’ decision-making processes. The chapter examines the connection between the Czech perception of the migration crisis and the ideologies and roles of the Czech Republic. The most common ideologies among the Czech elites at the time were Sovereignism and Europeanism, while their most frequent role was Regional Collaborator, which was characterised by trust and a sense of belonging within the given group. Trust, fear, and anger were present among the elites, with trust being associated with cooperation with the Visegrad Four, fear with protecting Czech sovereignty, and anger with feelings of unreadiness and poor communication with the EU. The chapter offers a unique perspective on the events of the migration crisis, highlighting the role of emotions in shaping the Czech decision to reject the migration quotas.