Zeman: Czechs vote wisely – they never allow power to be concentrated in one hand

Former Czech President Miloš Zeman stated today that the local elections and elections for one third of the Senate, held on Friday and Saturday, once again confirmed that Czechs have a reasonable attitude and never allow all power in the country to be handed over to one person.

Prime Minister Babiš assessed the elections as proof that his ANO party remains the strongest party, although it has weakened and lost two regional capitals, while in the Senate the opposition center-right party STAN triumphed with five senators out of 27 elected in the first round.

For the defeat in Prague and other major cities, Babiš blamed the media, claiming they nurture a culture of hatred towards him, but Zeman warned that the local elections and those for one third of the senators were, as usual, a referendum on the government.

“Czechs tend to maintain balance. They hold a reasonable view that too much power should not be concentrated in one hand,” Zeman told Czech television CNN Prima News.

The former president added that in the first round of the Senate elections, Babiš and his ANO, although Zeman himself supports them, were punished for their desire to seize the Senate as well, but had no chance due to their personnel policy.

“When the leader of a party selects candidates for the Senate, he can choose them so that they remain in his shadow, or so that they bring victory in the elections. I do not wish to intrude on anyone’s conscience, but where the candidates failed, I lean towards the first option—that they were chosen so as not to outgrow the leader,” Zeman said.