Prague, Sept 1 (CTK) – A total of 43 parties and movements nominated their candidates for the Senate election in October, seven more than in the previous vote for the Czech upper house, held in 2012, according to the data published by the Czech Statistical Office (CSU).
The number of independent candidates has increased as well. Six years ago, there were 11 of them, now there are 18.
The full number of candidates, 27, was only proposed by the Communists (KSCM) and newly by the anti-EU Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), which was only founded in 2015.
The Social Democrats fielded 23 candidates, four fewer than in 2012 and the Civic Democratic Party (ODS) 18, instead of 27. This is largely due to the agreement of right-wing parties on their joint candidates in some wards.
The Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) have proposed only 12 instead of 15 candidates and TOP 09 only 16, one-half of the number from 2012.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Andrej Babis’s ANO has a bigger list of candidates with 22 persons, while the figure only stood at 7 in the previous vote.
Similarly, Czech Pirates have increased their nominations from three to 13. The same number, seven, was proposed by the Mayors and Independents (STAN).
The Greens only nominated a single candidate, while another 18 groupings also fielded only one.
This year, the election to one-third of the 81-seat upper house will be held along with local elections.