Tomio Okamura, leader of the far-right Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), was elected Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies yesterday, as the candidate of the incoming government coalition of ANO, SPD and the Motorists. Okamura defeated Christian Democrat nominee Jan Bartosek in a secret ballot at the constituent meeting of the lower house.
Okamura received 107 votes out of 197 cast, said Martin Kolovratnik (ANO), chair of the election commission. At least 99 votes were needed to be elected. Bartosek received the votes of 81 MPs.
53-year-old Okamura graduated from a secondary industrial school of chemistry. He is in his 4th term as an MP, having previously been a senator for the Zlin Region for a year. Okamura has previously served as deputy speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and head of the petitions committee. With his election as speaker of the lower house, he becomes the highest-ranking elected official to date from SPD.
Okamura’s nomination drew strong criticism from politicians in the outgoing government camp. He has been accused of racism, xenophobia and chauvinism, of splitting society and spreading pro-Russian disinformation. Opposition politicians noted Okamura’s questioning of Czech membership of the EU and NATO, attacks on political opponents, and his currently suspended prosecution on suspicion of inciting hatred, in connection with last year’s SPD election posters.
Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Vlastimil Valek (TOP 09) wrote on social media that Okamura’s election as speaker of the lower house was a sad message about the state of Czech politics. Pirate Party leader Zdenek Hrib said that Okamura was not ready to represent the chamber.
“He was not even able to answer important security questions, preferring to hide on the sidelines,” Hrib wrote on social media. According to the deputy chair of the Pirates parliamentary group, Katerina Stojanova, Okamura poses a serious security risk for the Czech Republic. “Everyone who supported him today bears responsibility for the fact that sensitive information may end up in the hands of our enemies,” she said.
The Mayors and Independents (STAN) movement wrote in a statement that the threat of national disgrace has never been clearer: “The deputies who raised their hand for the criminally charged Tomio Okamura in the election of the speaker of the lower house will one day have to explain to their children why they entrusted the leadership of the lower house to a professional hate monger,” the party wrote.
In his candidate speech, Okamura promised that he would be an impartial speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, but he did not respond to the accusations. “I personally am ready, and I offer my figurative hand to anyone who is willing to accept it,” he said. After his election, he thanked the lower house for its confidence and said he looked forward to working with all members.
At a press conference after his election, Okamura said he wants the atmosphere in the lower house to be better than it was during the last election period. “I would like the lower house to function well,” he said. “I would like the atmosphere to be positive and I would like to contribute to that.”
