Prague, Jan 20 (CTK) – Four women may seek the post of deputy chairperson in “the one-man party,” the government ANO movement of Finance Minister and billionaire businessman Andrej Babis at its election congress to be held in late February, daily Lidove noviny (LN) writes Friday.
Prague Mayor Adriana Krnacova, MP and regional deputy Radka Maxova as well as Karlovy Vary Region Governor Jana Vildumetzova, head of the Czech Regions Association, may be running for ANO deputy chairpersons. Central Bohemia Regional Governor Jaroslava Jermanova, who has been ANO deputy head since February 2015, will be defending the post, LN writes.
The ANO regional assemblies will decide on nominations for deputy heads in “primary elections.”
The ANO congress in February will elect four deputy chairpersons.
Jermanova said she would be defending the post if she received nominations from the regions.
The Karlovy Vary Region has already nominated Vidumetzova for ANO leadership.
Krnacova is only considering her candidacy for deputy chairperson. “Maybe. But maybe next year. I am awfully busy with Prague,” she told LN.
Maxova failed in the election of ANO deputy head two years ago. She occupied the post until 2013. She has not confirmed yet whether she will repeat her candidacy, LN says.
Current ANO deputy chairwoman Margita Balastikova will not be defending her post. However, she said she would like to seek a position in the ANO leadership.
Political scientist Pavel Saradin says the election of municipal and regional politicians in the ANO leadership may have a positive effect on the movement as they can use experience from the management of towns and regions, LN writes.
However, if all four women were nominated, the congress delegates should forget the past “Maidens’ Wars” in ANO, primarily the rivalry between Krnacova and Prague ANO organisation head Radmila Kleslova at the Prague City Hall.
Though Krnacova was officially the mayor, it was Kleslova who kept the power thanks to her experience from the municipal and managerial career in Prague companies, LN writes.
In reaction to the media pressure, Kleslova withdrew both from Prague firms and the ANO leadership in the autumn of 2015 and she also resigned as the Prague 10 mayor.
A power struggle with Jermanova for the posts on the lists of candidates for the 2016 regional election was behind the departure of MP Kristyna Zelienkova from ANO. She criticised the practices in the the party and Babis’s explanation of the Capi hnizdo case in which he was suspected of unrightful drawing of EU subsidy for his firm’s lucrative resort.
Despite the expected women’s fights for posts in the ANO leadership, the ANO election congress will not be as thrilling as the congresses of mainstream parties since Babis’s position of the chairman is secure. ANO deputy group head Jaroslav Faltynek is also supposed to remain the first deputy chairman, LN writes.
