Prague, Oct 17 (CTK) – Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) should not return to President Milos Zeman, their former leader, because this would not bring new voters to them and because Zeman has moved away from left-wing and socialist positions, CSSD head Bohuslav Sobotka told Monday’s issue of daily Pravo.
“It seems to me that we would not win over new voters by getting closer to the opinions of Milos Zeman,” Prime Minister Sobotka said.
He said the results of those who strongly identified with Zeman in either the regional or Senate elections that were held at the two previous weekends are not inspiring for the party.
The small Party of Citizens’ Rights (SPO) failed in the Zlin Region, in which Zeman supported it. CSSD Political veterans Zdenek Skromach and Ivan Hasek, both close to Zeman, did not defend their senatorial seats and they may end in high politics.
Zeman was CSSD prime minister in 1998-2002.
Sobotka told Pravo that he is trying to have normal relations with the president despite events related to the Lany coup in 2013.
After the 2013 early general election, a group around Hasek and Skromach supported by Zeman sought to oust Sobotka as CSSD leader and future prime minister, but they failed and had to leave the party leadership.
“I am against any returning,” Sobotka said, hinting at the ties between the CSSD and Zeman. “We need to look ahead. The main goal is to win the parliamentary election next autumn,” he added.
Sobotka said the regional and Senate elections showed that the ANO movement of Finance Minister Andrej Babis can be beaten.
ANO only won in three wards, while it hoped for five at least.
Yet, the movement has been the most popular party in the country for more than two years and Babis would like to be the next prime minister.
Hinting at the low turnout in the Senate elections, Sobotka said the CSSD seems to have a problem with activating its voters when it is part of the government.
The Social Democrats won only two of the 27 mandates contested in the 81-seat Senate at the weekend.
Sobotka said the CSSD has been fielding its own candidates for senators for a long time, but interesting personalities supported by wider coalitions appear to be a more successful strategy, which the Christian Democrats (junior government KDU-CSL), who won nine senators compared to only two for the CSSD, have shown.
Sobotka said it seems absurd that Babis suggested that the Senate should be abolished, in reaction to ANO’s failure.
He said voters cast their votes to those who present an appealing vision for future and a plan for dealing with hot issues rather than those who just meet their manifestos, which they take for granted.
“We need to talk about the future and what we expect the Czech Republic to be in the next few years. What chances young people will have, how to provide security in the worsening environment, how to maintain economic growth, how to cope with population ageing and the financing of health care,” Sobotka told Pravo.
He said the CSSD should address all its potential voters, all groups of citizens, and also focus on seemingly marginal affairs such as environment protection and culture.
