ANO party elects new leadership

The ANO party of the ruling coalition elected new leadership at a party congress in Prague over the weekend. Jaroslav Faltýnek, the head of ANO's deputies club, was re-elected first deputy leader of the party on Sunday. Other deputies include Defence Minister Martin Stropnnický, Environment Minister Richard Brabec, governor of the Central Bohemian region Jaroslav Jermanová and Brno mayor Petr Vokřál. On Saturday, Finance Minister Andrej Babiš was unanimously re-elected leader of the party. Mr Babiš was the only candidate to run for the post.

On the second day of its congress, the party also approved an amendment to the its’s statutes, giving greater powers to its leader. Under the new statuses, the party chief can, among others, change the names and the order of candidates on a party list at an election. Speaking on a political debate porgramme on Czech Television in Sunday, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and head of Mayors and Independents party Petr Gazdík criticized the move, warning that the party was moving towards authoritarian leadership.

Author: Ruth Fraňková