The President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), said in an interview with Novinky.cz that he would not oppose cooperation between ODS and STAN in the next elections. According to Blesk.cz, presidential, regional and Senate elections are held in 2028 and elections to the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic in 2029. He called cooperation with STAN a good path, but admitted that it might not happen. In his words, the current ODS chairman Martin Kupka also has his confidence.[1][2]
Relationship with the prime minister
Vystrčil said that Prime Minister Andrej Babiš (ANO) ignores the Senate of the Czech Republic. According to him, the prime minister was invited to its sessions repeatedly but has not come so far; he would like him to appear at the first session after the elections and explain how he imagines cooperation. He described Babiš's assessment of ANO's failure in the Senate elections as unworthy of the leader of the strongest government party and as “almost cowardly”.[1][2]
Assessment of the Senate elections
According to the interviewer's questions, the government parties won no seat in the Senate elections. Vystrčil expressed satisfaction with the result and also described the elections as “a kind of referendum on the government”; in his view, the quality of the candidates played a role as well. Starostové and independents won ten senators, the club of ODS and TOP 09 nine, with ODS defending seven seats. In the Hradec Králové area, the ODS candidate Zuzana Ceralová Petrofová defeated the former minister for European affairs Martin Dvořák (STAN).[1]
Vystrčil has been President of the Senate since 19 February 2020 and senator for the Jihlava district since 2010. On running again, he said that he would rather not stand any more.[2]
Chronology
- — In an interview with Novinky.cz, the President of the Senate of the Czech Republic, Miloš Vystrčil (ODS), said he would not object to cooperation between ODS and STAN in future elections, and reproached Prime Minister Andrej Babiš for "ignoring" the Senate. Novinky.cz Blesk.cz