MEP and would-be presidential candidate Blaško quits Okamura party

Czech MEP Hynek Blaško has announced that he is leaving Tomio Okamura’s Freedom and Direct Democracy party. Mr. Blaško, who was elected to the European Parliament on the ticket of the anti-EU party, said on social media that the grouping was run in an undemocratic manner. He said Mr. Okamura surrounded himself with yes men and interfered in regional candidate lists.

Mr. Blaško says he is running for president but Freedom and Direct Democracy say one-time dissident Jaroslav Bašta is their sole candidate.