Vegans and Politics: Case Study of the Electoral Behaviour of Vegans in the Czech Republic

In the recent years there is increasing number of people interested in veganism. Th is is also a visible trend in the Czech Republic (and other EU countries) where veganism is lifestyle associated mainly with “generation Z”. Especially young people who were born aft er the fall of Communism and enjoyed free access to information tend to be more perceptive to the failures capitalism and globalisation including pollution, environmental degradation, production unsustainability, animal exploitation and suff ering used and treated as an agricultural commodity. Th is critical approach is refl ected in the lifestyle of increasing number of young Czechs with many implications including family relations, ecological and animal-focusing behaviour or political preferences. Th is article’s main aim is to provide sociological and political characterisation of vegans in the Czech Republic and to answer primary research question: who are Czech vegans? Th is article serves as certain corrective to the image of vegans and provides unique information about the segment. Research is based on an online survey conducted among 1,167 Czech vegans and 1,128 Czech vegetarians.