Prague, Nov 28 (CTK) – The lower house of Czech parliament elected Civic Democrat (right-wing opposition ODS) leader Petr Fiala its deputy chairman in a secret vote after the opening of its second session on Tuesday, the house’s electoral commission head Martin Kolovratnik (ANO) said on Tuesday.
Fiala failed to be elected to the post last Friday, unlike the four other candidates.
In the first secret vote, the house elected Jan Hamacek (Social Democrats, CSSD), Vojtech Filip (Communists, KSCM), Vojtech Pikal (Pirates) and Tomio Okamura (Freedom and Direct Democracy, SPD) its deputy chairmen. Fiala was not elected in the second secret vote held on Friday either. He probably was not supported by the SPD, the KSCM and ANO. This caused disputes in the lower house.
Kolovratnik said after the secret vote on Tuesday Fiala 116 out of 183 MPs present voted in support of Fiala.
ANO lower house group’s head Jaroslav Faltynek said ANO MPs would support Fiala, although a part of them disliked Fiala because of his criticism of the ANO movement.
On the contrary, SPD leader Okamura said his group would not support Fiala for the post.
Faltynek said Tuesday the representatives of other candidates than Fiala asked for ANO’s support before the first secret vote.