Ivo Vondrak, the Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region, has announced his resignation from his position as deputy chairman of ANO, a political party in the Czech Republic. Vondrak has been a member of ANO since 2017 and has held the position of deputy chairman since February 2022. The announcement of his resignation comes after Vondrak publicly supported Petr Pavel, an independent civic candidate, instead of ANO leader and former Prime Minister Andrej Babis during the presidential election. This act of public support received criticism from senior ANO figures, including Karel Havlicek and Alena Schillerova, who are also deputy chairs in the party.

Vondrak had previously expressed his reservations about the direction ANO was taking and suggested that a faction could be created within the party. He felt that the party had deviated from its original goal of bringing people into politics and doing politics for everyone. Despite the lack of support for his proposal to create a faction, Vondrak decided to resign from his position regardless of the outcome of the recent ANO leadership debate.

Ostrava Mayor Tomas Macura, who was previously a member of the senior ANO leadership, also supported Pavel during the presidential election. Vondrak’s departure from ANO highlights a growing division within the party as its members struggle to align with its original goals and objectives. The resignation of a high-ranking member such as Vondrak may lead to further developments within the party and could potentially impact its performance in future elections.

In conclusion, Ivo Vondrak’s resignation from his position as deputy chairman of ANO is a significant event that could have a lasting impact on the political landscape in the Czech Republic. The division within the party, as well as its deviation from its original goals, highlights the challenges faced by political organizations in maintaining unity and direction.

Article by Prague Forum