Prague, Jan 13 (CTK) – Chamber of Deputies member Jan Birke will be the Czech Social Democrat (CSSD) election manager for the autumn general election, as proposed by party leader, Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, Sobotka told journalists on Friday.
The party leadership supported the nomination unanimously.
Sobotka said Birke had the necessary drive.
Birke said earlier although Finance Minister Andrej Babis’s ANO was leading in the polls, the Social Democrats wanted to win the election.
Sobotka, too, said the Social Democrats wanted to win in the election because this could still guarantee social justice and accessibility of public services.
“I expect him to create a team that will coordinate the preparations of the election and to enhance communication inside the party to this effect,” Sobotka said.
Birke said he had the big advantage that he was able to speak intelligibly with people and that people understood him.
“With this moment, a nine-month struggle is starting for us. At its end, there should be the victory of the Social Democrats,” Birke said.
In the past, Birke was associated with former Social Democrat leader and Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek who later left the party.
Birke worked at the Regional Development Ministry and the Government Office as head of the prime minister’s office.
He has been the mayor of Nachod, east Bohemia, since 2010.
He also held the post of president of the Mixed Czech-Chinese Chamber of Mutual Cooperation.
He has been a lawmaker since 2013.
