ČTK |
31 May 2016
Prague, May 30 (CTK) – Two-thirds out of the 27 senators whose mandate expires this year will seek re-election in the autumn election to one-third of the 81-seat Senate, the upper house of the Czech parliament, according to the CTK’s nomination analysis.
The number of senators defending their posts in the previous election two years ago was similar.
The group of senators to seek-re-election includes the deputy chairpersons, Zdenek Skromach (Social Democrats, CSSD) and Miluse Horska (Christian Democrats/KDU-CSL and Independents), opposition Civic Democrat (ODS) deputy head Milos Vystrcil and the senator groups’ heads, Petr Silar (KDU-CSL) and Jan Hornik (Mayors).
Two of the longest serving senators, deputy chairman Premysl Sobotka and Pavel Eybert (both ODS), will end in the upper house after 20 years.
Prague ODS senators Petr Bratsky and Milan Pesak will not seek re-election either.
The senior government CSSD will lose senators Milos Maly, Antonin Mastalir and Zdenek Besta and former Social Democrat and ex-regional governor Jaroslav Palas (now Citizens Rights Party group) is not likely to run again either.
In the senator wards where the election will take place this autumn, the CSSD won in 2010, gaining 12 seats.
However, two of the then winners, Jozef Regec and Palas, left for another senator group in the meantime.
The CSSD senator group with 33 senators may lose ten members in the upcoming election.
The 11-member KDU-CSL and Independents senator group may lose three members.
Out of the five-member ANO group, only the mandate of senator Alena Dernerova (for North Bohemians.cz) expires.
Consequently, the three government parties, the CSSD, ANO and the KDU-CSL, will definitely keep 35 senators regardless of the election result). They would need 41 seats to reach a majority in the upper house.
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