Yesterday in Prague, the governing Spolu coalition launched the final phase of its campaign for the October parliamentary elections, with the slogan: “Freedom and Prosperity for Future Generations”. The elections will take place in 44 days.
At a press conference, Spolu election leader and Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) said the coalition had deliberately chosen the day before the anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of former Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops. He noted that at least two groups with a chance of getting into the Chamber of Deputies have been talking about leaving the EU and NATO and regime change, which he said was a path to poverty and eastward into Russian influence.
The Spolu coalition, comprising ODS, the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and TOP 09, wants to remain in the EU, he said, and wants the Czech Republic to remain part of the West. He called on citizens to cast their votes.
Fiala also said he did not trust representatives of the opposition ANO that EU and NATO membership were guaranteed. “This is a party founded and led by a businessman who will sell everything for power, even the future and security,” he said, referring to ANO leader and former prime minister Andrej Babis, whose party is currently the favourite in the election.
The program priorities presented yesterday by Spolu do not include exact deadlines and figures. Transport Minister Martin Kupka (ODS) said details would be presented at seven subsequent press conferences.
Fiala yesterday highlighted as a priority the continuation of the modernisation of the army and internal security, including measures against irregular migration. Under questioning from journalists, he defended the plan to host the European men’s football championship.
Fiala stressed that alongside ensuring the Czech Republic’s security and Western orientation, Spolu’s goal was a modern and competitive economy with wage growth and more affordable housing. The election programme, he said, offers real solutions to the problems of the Czech Republic.
“We want to convince our voters that it would be a big mistake to let the opposition throw everything we have created in four years into the trash,” Fiala said.
KDU-CSL chair Marek Vyborny said he believed that Spolu’s programme stands on the side of the people. “Now we need to do everything for a safe and prosperous Czech Republic,” he said.
TOP 09 vice chair Vlastimil Valek criticised Babis, Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD) leader Tomio Okamura, and Communist leader Katerina Konecna, calling them supporters of the “Kremlin dictator”. Valek was standing in for TOP 09 leader Marketa Pekarova Adamova, who does not intend to defend her mandate and excused herself from yesterday’s event for health reasons.
In the first phase of the campaign, Spolu candidates attended just under 300 events across the country in two months. In the coming days, they are set to continue meeting citizens.
Current polls place Spolu in second place with a significant gap behind ANO. Although the bitcoin scandal, which led to the resignation of Justice Minister Pavel Blazek (ODS) at the beginning of the summer, did not cause a significant drop in voter support for the alliance, some commentators believe it has prevented the coalition’s hoped-for growth in support.
In the October 2021 elections, Together won by 0.67 percentage points over ANO, the closest margin between first and second in the history of the Czech parliament. Spolu subsequently formed a governing coalition with the Mayors and Independents (STAN) and the Pirates, who left the government last October.
