Social Democrats nominate presidential candidate
Czechs finally know the names of the candidates for the presidential office, which will become vacant in two months after Vaclav Havel retires. The opposition Civic Democrats have put forward their long-time leader Vaclav Klaus, the Christian Democrats say they will support Senate Chairman Petr Pithart and the Communist Party's nominee is a former communist military prosecutor Miroslav Krizenecky. This weekend, following much controversy, the senior coalition partner, the Social Democrats, too, finally revealed their presidential candidate.
The Social Democrats recently held a so-called "party referendum" in order to select the party's presidential candidate out of five on offer. The party hoped the referendum would endorse the generally acceptable candidate, ombudsman Otakar Motejl. However it was the former Prime Minister and party leader Milos Zeman who emerged as the clear winner of the poll. Mr Motejl came third after former Justice Minister Jaroslav Bures. And as Milos Zeman, who still enjoys a lot of support in the party, made it clear he would only take part in the election if the parliament fails to elect the president in the first attempt, the Social Democrats had to decide whom they would put forward. After an eight-hour meeting of the party's Central Committee on Saturday, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla finally revealed the name of the Social Democrats' presidential candidate.
"As Milos Zeman again confirmed today he was only going to run if the first attempt at electing a president failed, and as the Social Democrat Party wants to field a candidate in the first attempt, we did the only logical thing which was to nominate Jaroslav Bures as the Social Democrat candidate."
The former Justice Minister and high court judge, Jaroslav Bures, who admits to joining the Czechoslovak Communist Party in 1986 for purely career reasons, says he wants to be a "predictable everyday president".
"For me it is an honour that the party has nominated me. I feel strengthened by the outcome of today's meeting and I feel very honoured."
It is widely expected that no candidate will get enough support in the parliament to be elected in the first attempt and what would happen after that remains speculation. After Saturday's meeting, Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said that if the first attempt failed, the Social Democrats would try and find another solution for the second attempt. However, he did not confirm they would automatically nominate ex-Prime Minister Milos Zeman, the winner of the recent party referendum.
