Opposition Civic Democrats move to block controversial Prague candidate

The leadership of the opposition Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has ordered its Prague 1 branch to remove former mayor Filip Dvořák from its candidate list for this autumn's local elections, saying he failed to adequately explain the origins of his wealth. If the local branch refuses, the party's Prague leadership will replace the list itself. The move highlights tensions between the national leadership and local party organisations. Civic Democrats have long sought to distance themselves from reputational damage linked to Prague politics in the 1990s, when some local party figures were accused of benefiting from controversial privatisation deals, although Dvořák has never been charged with any offence.