Prague - Pavel Bém has indicated he will not seek re-election as Prague mayor in next year's local elections. He says it would be difficult to reconcile the top job at Prague City Hall with his planned career as a parliamentarian.
The Prague branch of the Civic Democrats (ODS) on Wednesday voted Bém as the party's No 2 candidate in Prague constituency for October's early general elections. With Prague being represented by 14 out of 200 MPs, Bém is very likely to win seat.
The mayor wants to complete his term but he will not run for re-election next year. "In primaries before next year's Prague assembly elections we should seek a solid team of local leaders who will govern the city council and assembly in the yours to come," he said.
He added that being simultaneously an MP and a city official was not feasible in the long term. Still, the mayor reserved a right to change his mind later.
Vodrážka is Prague's No 1
Prague's ODS on Wednesday confirmed the party's second in command, David Vodrážka, will lead the ODS ballot list in Prague. Party leader and former prime minister Mirek Topolánek, who led Prague ballot list in 2006, will this time run in South Moravia.
Vodrážka is mayor for Prague 13. Like Bém, he too wants to combine the two jobs at least until next year's council elections.
Of the current Civic Democrat MPs elected in Prague, three will not run for ODS again. František Laudát is joining the new party Top 09, Topolánek's partner Lucie Talmanová does not want to be an MP any more, and Jan Bürgermeister has not been nominated by any of ODS branches.
Top 09 feared
Both Vodrážka and Bém have good reasons for self-confidence. In the 2006 general elections their party won more support in Prague than in any other region.
Yet, the party is increasingly concerned about a competition from Top 09, a new party founded by Miroslav Kalousek, former finance minister for Christian Democrats. The party's Prague ballot list is expected to be headed by Karel Schwarzenberg, former foreign minister and the second most popular politician in the country.
"This supernova has a good chance to succeed on Prague's political scene," Bém warned his fellow ODS members. Still, he mocked the competitor's name, saying it was an acronym standing for "the Terrarium of Outworn Politicians".
