Protestors, opposed to power-sharing deal, delay election at City Hall

If anybody thought the election of Prague’s new mayor would be easy on Tuesday, their doubts were dashed by noon, when the Civic Democrat candidate, Bohuslav Svodoba, was forced to delay proceedings for the fourth time. Demonstrators at City Hall, carrying signs and blowing whistles, had created such a din that electing the new mayor and city council proved next to impossible.

Photo: CTK

Anger over a coalition in Prague between ideological rivals the Civic and Social Democrats that left the winners of the recent municipal election TOP 09 out in the cold, has not receded and hundreds of protestors, as planned, showed up on Tuesday for a demonstration outside City Hall. It was the first meeting of new city officials since the municipal elections in October and on the agenda was the election of the new mayor and council for the next four years. But that proved far from easy. By 9 am, in snowy weather, hundreds were on hand with signs and whistles, and ready to make plenty of noise. I spoke to a number of protestors on the square and asked them why they’d come out:

Young Czech woman:

“We are not content with the election results in Prague because two parties that didn’t win formed the coalition. Many who voted wanted change because only party ruled in Prague for 20 years and was associated with corruption and a number of bad things.”

Bohuslav Svoboda, photo: CTK

US resident: “I’m an American but I live here and am a permanent resident and I believe that democracy is very important. Democracy generally means that the votes of people are respected and here that doesn’t seem to be the case. And that’s why I’ve joined my wife in the protest here today.”

It’s true that the party that won the municipal election in Prague, newcomer TOP 09, it was widely seen as a signal for change. On the other hand, the party didn’t win an overall majority, so some would say that even this type of coalition is possible…

“Well, possible is one thing, appropriate is another. In a democratic society I think the party that receives the most votes generally has the right to lead the formation of the coalition. I think that what has occurred here is technically legal but is in my view a usurpation of power.”

Photo: CTK

Older Czech man: “I disagree with this coalition: ahead of the election, they changed the number of voting districts to significantly hurt the smaller parties and keep them from gaining seats, which could have made a difference. Unfortunately, I don’t think demonstrations like this one will change much.”

One of the organizers from Vyměňte politiky (Change the Politicians) echoed the sentiment, saying the election was a sham and leading the crowd into chants of “We want new elections” and “Prague isn’t Palermo!” – rejecting the so-called ‘mafiosi’ at City Hall.

Photo: CTK

Worse for the new coalition in the public area inside the building demonstrators made themselves equally heard. Bohuslav Svoboda, the city’s next mayor, was repeatedly drowned out at the podium as observers like the former president Vaclav Havel, who has sympathized with the protestors, looked on. The aim, hope the organizers of Vyměňte politiky, is to make sure that even though ultimately the protest will have little real impact, when they go to the polls again in four years’ time, voters won’t forget.

As for the proceedings: by around noon only a handful of protestors were allowed to stay inside City Hall while the majority was ordered off the premises for security reasons. At around 2 pm city representatives finally began their session to elect the new city council and mayor.