November 8, 2003: Czech Christian Democrats Elect New Leader

Miroslav Kalousek is elected the new chairman of the Czech Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL), defeating the current chairman and foreign minister Cyril Svoboda in the second round of voting at the party’s conference in Ostrava. Kalousek obtained 164 votes, whereas Svoboda only got 131, but was then elected to one of the five deputy chairman positions. Shortly before the election, Mirek Topolanek, chairman of the center-right Civic Democratic Party (ODS), had indirectly supported Kalousek over Svoboda in a speech to the conference, whereas Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla of the Social Democrats (CSSD) had offered indirect support to Svoboda, the favourite before the election. Despite this assistance, Svoboda’s position was hampered by his unpopular support for the US-led invasion of Iraq, his pro-European orientation, and, in particular, the party’s poor performance in recent elections, which may be the deciding factor between the two candidates. [Novinky(.cz), 11/8/2003]