Former Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) will not be running in forthcoming Senate or presidential elections, and will continue with his mandate in the Chamber of Deputies, he announced on social media yesterday.
Together with colleagues, Fiala has founded a think tank called the Political Forum, which should systematically develop, cultivate, and popularise the ideas of freedom and democracy, especially among young people, he said.
After 12 years at the party’s helm, Fiala stepped down as ODS leader in mid-January, about a month after his cabinet was replaced by the government of Andrej Babis (ANO).
In his closing speech at the ODS congress, Fiala said he had not decided to step down because of the defeat in last autumn’s parliamentary elections, but because he had felt that he no longer had the mandate and confidence to make the big changes that he believed the ODS needed. Martin Kupka (ODS) was elected the new leader of the party.
At the ODS congress, Fiala ruled out running for president, and, in response to speculation about the Senate, he praised Milos Vystrcil (ODS) as an excellent Senate speaker.
“I would like to thank everyone who has called on me in recent days and weeks to run for the Senate or even to actively participate in the presidential elections. However, I am not used to giving up and leaving unfinished work. I will not run for the Senate or seek candidacy in the presidential elections,” Fiala said in his statement.
According to Fiala, President Petr Pavel is doing a good job. “My possible candidacy would only fragment the votes of pro-Western and pro-democratic voters and help the forces that seek to weaken democracy, freedom, and independence in our country,” Fiala stressed. He added that he did not necessarily need to hold office all the time in order to be active in political and public life.
Fiala stated that the Political Forum think tank has no ambition to compete with political parties.
“Its goal is to create an open space for everyone who cares about the democratic, free, and prosperous Czech Republic. Our ambition is to systematically develop, cultivate, and popularise the ideas of freedom and democracy, especially among young people,” he said.
He added that it was necessary to lead “a constructive and value-based discussion on the key issues of today in order to preserve freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and a high-quality political culture in the Czech Republic.”
