Wikipedia

2024 Social Democracy (Czech Republic) leadership election

A leadership election for the Social Democracy (SOCDEM) will be held in October 2024. Michal Šmarda does not run for re-election.

2024 SOCDEM leadership election
← 2023 5 October 2024[1] 2026 →
 
Candidate Jana Maláčová Jiří Dienstbier Jr. Petr Hůla
Electoral vote 101 33 5
Percentage 66.4% 21.7% 3.3%
Leader of SOCDEM before election

Michal Šmarda

 Leader of SOCDEM

Jana Maláčová

Background

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SOCDEM participated in 2021 Czech legislative election, receiving only 4.65% votes and lost all its seats in the Chamber of Deputies. Leader Jan Hamáček announced he would resign as a result.[2] Michal Šmarda was elected new leader afterwards.[3] After 2024 European Parliament election in the Czech Republic, Šmarda announced new leadership election will be held in October 2024.[4] Šmarda resigned as party after 2024 Czech regional elections in September 2024 stating that SOCDEM should be led by Social Democrat who succeeded in regional elections.[5] Šmarda mentioned Pardubice regional Governor Martin Netolický and Mayor of Rokytnice v Orlických horách Jiří Štěpán as potential successors.[6] Jana Maláčová stated that she considers running[1] and eventually announced candidacy on 24 September 2024.[7] On 1 October 2024 Jiří Dienstbier Jr. announced candidacy.[8]

Maláčová stated her support for a broad left-wing coalition based on the New Popular Front and did not rule out talks with the socially conservative Stačilo!. This would violate the Bohumínský Resolution from 1995, in which they denounced any cooperation with extremist parties like KSČM.[9] Maláčová criticized SOCDEM for not attacking the government enough and stated that their main task should berise of poverty and decrease of living standards rather than socio-cultural issues.[10] Meanwhile Dienstbier emphasized the need for a "modern European-style left-wing party"[11] and stated his support for a coalition with the progressive Green Party and Budoucnost.[12]

Candidates

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  • Jiří Dienstbier Jr., former Minister of the Czech Republic for Human Rights and Equal Opportunities
  • Petr Hůla, Prague 12 Councillor
  • Jana Maláčová, former Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.

Potential candidates

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Declined to run

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  • Martin Netolický, Pardubice regional governor. Suggested by Šmarda as potential candidate but he declined to run.[13]

Endorsements

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Jiří Dienstbier Jr.
Jana Maláčová

Voting

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Voting was held on 5 October 2024. 152 delegates were present.[19]

Candidate Vote %
Jana Maláčová 101 66.44
Jiří Dienstbier Jr. 33 21.71
Petr Hůla 5 3.29
None of the above 13 8.55

Reactions

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The Left congratulated Maláčová and stated that her election "raised expectations that it would be possible to start broad cooperation across left-wing entities."[20] On 20 October, both Maláčová and Czech Sovereignty of Social Democracy (ČSSD) leader Jiří Paroubek called for a left-wing alliance.[21]

Two former minister, Tomáš Petříček and Petra Buzková left the party following the election of Maláčová.[22] Shortly after their departure, Petříček, former Piráti MEP Mikuláš Peksa, vice leader of Green Party Tomáš Mígl and leader of Budoucnost Jakub Kovařík signed a manifesto calling for cooperation between the progressive movements and the creation an "alternative bloc" to the government composed of SPOLU and STAN and to the opposition composed of ANO and SPD.[23] Dienstbier later signed the manifesto.[24] Also former Czech ambassador to NATO Jakub Landovský left the party due to disagreement with the new party direction.[25]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Šmarda končí v čele SOCDEM. "Zastavil se pád, ale není to obrat," říká o volební mizérii". Blesk (in Czech). Czech News Center. 22 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  2. ^ "ČSSD vypadla ze Sněmovny. Hamáček končí". Seznam Zprávy (in Czech). Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  3. ^ "ČSSD si na sjezdu zvolila jako předsedu Michala Šmardu". ČT24 (in Czech). Czech Television. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  4. ^ Brodníčková, Karolina (13 June 2024). "Prožil jsem velké zklamání. Šmarda po debaklu SOCDEM svolal sjezd, který zvolí nové vedení". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  5. ^ Neubergerová, Karolína. "Šmarda po volebním propadáku končí v čele SOCDEM. Post předsedy nebude obhajovat". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  6. ^ Weiss, Max (23 September 2024). "Šmarda končí v čele SOCDEM. Post nebude obhajovat. V čele chce někoho, kdo uspěl ve volbách". Echo24.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  7. ^ Soukup, Jaroslav (24 September 2024). "Maláčová chce být předsedkyní SOCDEM". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  8. ^ Machová, Martina (1 October 2024). "Maláčovou vyzve v souboji o Lidový dům Dienstbier". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
  9. ^ Tomáš Pika (2024-10-05). "Sociální demokraty povede exministryně Maláčová. Do předsednické funkce ji zvolilo 101 delegátů". iROZHLAS.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  10. ^ Jan Bělíček (3 October 2024). "„Chci vyjednat širokou levicovou koalici. Bavit se budu se všemi," říká Jana Maláčová". Deník Alarm (in Czech). Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Vzkřísit skomírající SOCDEM chtějí exministři Maláčová a Dienstbier". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. 5 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Dva exministři, Dienstbier a Maláčová, se utkají o post předsedy SOCDEM". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. 1 October 2024. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  13. ^ Kopecký, Josef; Lysá, Tereza (23 September 2024). "SOCDEM se nepodařilo dostatečně sjednotit, uvedl Šmarda. Odchází z čela strany". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  14. ^ Oto Novotný (3 October 2024). "Maláčová vs. Dienstbier. SOCDEM jako progresivní, či konzervativní levice?". Deník Referendum [cs] (in Czech). Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  15. ^ a b c Karolína Neubergerová (4 October 2024). "Kdo zachrání SOCDEM? Do čela strany chce Maláčová i Dienstbier, rozhodne sjezd". CNN Prima News (in Czech). Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  16. ^ Lukáš Nozar (5 October 2024). "Dnes se koná sjezd Sociální demokracie" (in Czech). Retrieved 5 October 2024 – via Facebook.
  17. ^ Stropnický, Matěj (25 September 2024). "Stropnický: Piráti čuměli a hlasovali, teď brečí. Fotře, chci tvůj plat, bylo jejich heslo. Maláčová? Konečná potřebuje spojence". ParlamentníListy.cz (in Czech). Interviewed by Jaroslav Polanský. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  18. ^ "Exministryně Maláčová chce vést Sociální demokracii, podpořil ji Zaorálek". Aktuálně.cz (in Czech). Economia. 24 September 2024. Retrieved 24 September 2024.
  19. ^ Kopecký, Josef (2024-10-05). "Maláčová vede SOCDEM. Slíbila širokou levicovou koalici proti ožebračování". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  20. ^ Strana Levice (2024-10-06). "Strana Levice gratuluje Janě Maláčové ke zvolení do čela Sociální demokracie" (in Czech). Retrieved 2024-10-08 – via Facebook.
  21. ^ "Maláčová a Paroubek nevyloučili spolupráci se Stačilo!". Novinky.cz (in Czech). 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
  22. ^ "Petříček a Buzková opouštějí SOCDEM, nesouhlasí se směřováním strany". iDNES.cz (in Czech). Mafra. 2024-10-07. Retrieved 2024-10-07.
  23. ^ "Manifest Progresivní Česko vyzývá k vytvoření alternativy k vládě i opozici". České noviny (in Czech). Czech News Agency. 2024-10-08. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
  24. ^ "Naši lidé". Progresivní Česko (in Czech). Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  25. ^ Šopfová, Kristýna (14 October 2024). "Ze SOCDEM vystoupil i Jakub Landovský". Novinky.cz (in Czech). Borgis. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
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