kdu-csl Chief Senator Petr Šilar presidential candidate Pavel Fischer CSL Chairman Pavel Bělobrádek and Culture Minister Daniel Herman

ČTK

Christian Democrats Vow To Block ‘Dangerous’ Constitutional Changes

Andrej Babiš, ANO

Prague, Aug 28 (CTK) – The Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) would like to prevent dangerous changes to the constitution in the Senate, the upper house of Czech parliament, KDU-CSL chairman Pavel Belobradek said today when launching a campaign before the October Senate elections.

 

Belobradek, who is running in the Nachod ward, east Bohemia, said the Christian Democrats opposed those who would like to destroy democracy and who rejected a free discussion.

 

The election to one-third of the 81-seat Senate, the first round of which is held along with the local elections on October 5-6, is important for all who are dissatisfied with the current political situation and the course of the Czech Republic after the last October general election, Belobradek said.

 

The ANO movement of billionaire businessman Andrej Babis scored a landslide victory last autumn. After lengthy talks, Babis’s coalition government of his ANO and the Social Democrats (CSSD) was formed and won confidence of the Chamber of Deputies in July.

 

“Our campaign slogan sounds ‘We Wont’s Give Them the Senate’. It is aimed at those who want to destruct democracy, who label the parliament a place for blabber, do to want to hear an opposite view and… who consider the Czech Republic a conquered territory,” Belobradek said.

 

The Christian Democrats perceive the upper house as an important platform where they can influence the future course of the country. “We cannot prevent all, but we can prevent very dangerous ideas on the level of the constitution,” he said.

 

The KDU-CSL has fielded 12 own candidates in the Senate election and has another two in a coalition with other parties. The party will also recommend to its voters which candidates to support in other wards.

 

One of them is former diplomat Pavel Fischer, an unsuccessful presidential candidate, who is running in a Prague ward.

 

Belobradek appreciated today that the KDU-CSL had agreed on election cooperation or support with other parties in many Senate wards.

 

The KDU-CSL and Independent senator group is the second strongest in the upper house. Three of its 16 members are defending their mandates.

 

Belobradek said previously that the KDU-CSL’s goal in the upcoming election was to gain the strongest senator group.