ODS replaces its Prague 1 mayoral candidate after scandal over Dvořák's assets

The Prague regional council of the ODS party has approved a new candidate list for Prague 1 ahead of the autumn municipal elections, after the local party branch initially refused to field any candidates at all. The dispute erupted after the party's national leadership rejected former Prague 1 mayor and city councillor Filip Dvořák as the list's frontrunner.

According to the party leadership, Dvořák failed to provide a convincing explanation for the origin of assets worth 230 million crowns that he inherited from his father. It had previously been reported that the source of these assets remained unclear. ODS leadership suggested that Dvořák voluntarily withdraw from the race, but he refused, insisting he had not been charged with any wrongdoing.

The new frontrunner for ODS in Prague 1 will be Michal Müller, the district's current councillor for health affairs. Second on the list is Deputy Mayor Tomáš Heres. Also featured near the top are political scientist and university lecturer Daniel Kunštát, teacher and deputy Eva Špačková, and Robert Jandera.

"Prague 1 now has a new candidate list — one that ODS can stand behind, one that looks forward rather than back," said Alexandra Udženija, chair of the Prague ODS.

Tensions escalated after the Prague 1 district branch of ODS announced it would not submit any candidate list at all, and allowed its members to run for other parties instead. In response, the party's executive council expelled Dvořák from ODS and decided to field a list in Prague's first district regardless, overriding the earlier decision of the local branch.

Around Prague, based on reporting by seznamzpravy.cz