Pirate leader in Brno, Marek Lahoda, said Tuesday’s raids were the last straw for the party. Photo credit: Pirati Brno, via Facebook.
Brno, Oct 19 (CTK) – The Pirate Party has decided not to join the broad coalition agreed this week to govern Brno, in reaction to Tuesday’s police raid at Brno City Hall and other municipal offices and firms. Brno Pirate branch leader Marek Lahoda announced the decision today to reporters, shortly before he was due to sign the coalition agreement.
The Pirates changed their mind at the very last moment. The raid was the last straw, Lahoda stressed. He said there were too many such cases and the Pirates could not join the coalition in Brno with a clear conscience.
Following the autumn local elections, seven parties agreed to form a broad coalition in Brno, including the Civic Democrats (ODS), TOP 09, Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), Mayors and Independents (STAN), Pirates, ANO and the Social Democrats (CSSD). The first five parties are all members of the Czech national coalition government.
Brno Mayor Marketa Vankova (ODS), who should remain in her post, justified the formation of such a broad coalition by the hard times ahead related to the energy and economic crisis, the war in Ukraine, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the Pirates’ withdrawal, the remaining six parties of the planned coalition still command a majority in the Brno Assembly.
In the last election term, the governing coalition on Brno council was composed of ODS, KDU-CSL, CSSD and the Pirates.
