Looking ahead to the 2019 European Elections.
 

1. Who are you?

Name of the Association SKS (Sdružení křesťanských seniorů, Association of the Christian Seniors), Czech republic
Name of the persons giving the answers: Lidmila Nemcová, president SKS + all members of the SKS Czech committee + the chair-persons of the seniors Clubs at Teplice, Žďár, Prague and others.
How did you collect the answers: We asked the respective clubs for answering the questions, by e-mail, by brainstorming, conclusions during the discussions,  during the meeting of the SKS national committee and the result of the SKS meetings on the local level.
 

2. How is your association participating in the 2019 EP Election Campaign?

We plan to fully participate in this campaign 2019.  Autumn 2018 several national  elections will help in preparation for the 2019 EP election. It is necessary to mobilise the SKS members as well as their families and communities  emphesizing the necessity to take an active part  in the elections by voting for  the candidates promoting real Christian values.

Do you plan specific activities for seniors during the election campaign?  Yes, we plan special activities as:

1. leaflet (flyer) with our SKS  position vis-a-vis European elections.This flyer will be distributed mainly for  parish communities and for the KDU-ČSL - Christian democratic party at all levels.
2. to invite the candidates primarily from KDU-ČSL and others promoting  the Christian values for  an open discussion  at various levels (local, regional)  The national SKS committee plans to invite the most promising candidates for a top discussion.

Describe this activities and the results you wish to obtain.
The meetings with the candidates will be very open, with hot questions and answers in order to find the optimal strategy able to influence the further development of  future in Europe as well as in our country.
 

3. If you should write an election program for the European elections, which would be the 3 main program items for the seniors target group in your country?

1. We are obliged to clearly declare our christian values and apply them to the practice. The Decalogue, Social teaching of the Church, Magna charta of ESU.
2. The importance of the traditional family and its support respecting protection and the dignity of human life from conception to the natural end of the life. The model of the inter-generation cooperation should start in the family and being transferred to the whole society.
3. Social coherence including social insurance, pensions, housing, health services, medical policy and prevention, special care for seniors.

Describe these program items and motivate this choice.
The motivation of these items is based on the actual danger for the life of the Czech seniors generations resulting from the previous communist regime and the special post-communist development in the country. Lack of solidarity and values among the generations.
 

4. Do you have recommendations for an ESU strategy for the European elections?

1. to emphasize the importance of the seniors for the society, civic society should not be differed to young and old generation,
2. invaluable experiences of seniors (especially in the post-communist countries) should help young generation to understand real values and needs of the life.
3. The seniors are able to enrich the whole society. Quality of life cannot be limited only to the material part of the life but also  the spiritual dimension is very important. Our aim is to achieve active and autonomous seniors able to any needed initiative.