Czech city Opava: three-party coalition sidelines winner ANO
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Opava’s city hall will be led by a coalition of three parties without the ANO movement, even though ANO won the recent municipal elections. On Wednesday, the OK Změna pro Opavu coalition, ODS with independents and the Zelená pro Opavu party signed a memorandum on working together on a coalition agreement. According to Novinky, the agreement could be signed next week.
Together with Plzeň, Opava is the only large Czech city where the governing ANO movement strengthened its position in the elections. It won 37.25 percent of the vote and 17 of the 39 council seats. The list was headed by the current mayor, Tomáš Navrátil. The OK Změna pro Opavu coalition came second with 13 seats, and ODS with independents third (five seats). Zelená pro Opavu and “Citizens of the Opava Districts” (OMČO) won two seats each.
As the outlet reports, the outcome was decided by the Greens’ choice: they joined ODS and OK Změna. The new coalition will have 20 seats against 19 for the opposition.
Why they did not choose ANO
Zelená pro Opavu leader Daniel Volný named four factors: a survey of candidates on their preferred coalition, an analysis of voter preferences, programme similarity with OK Změna and the situation at national level. “We disagree with what is happening in the government,” he said. Before signing the agreement, the parties want to agree on a programme and distribute the posts of councillors and deputy mayors.
ANO is not giving up
Tomáš Navrátil said he has no official information about the deal: “I was only told that a memorandum had been signed.” According to him, ANO will continue negotiating, since the movement has also signed a memorandum, with OMČO and Zelená pro Opavu. He called a coalition of 20 councillors against 19 in the opposition “extremely irresponsible, amateurish and risky.” Navrátil added that such a coalition would include two newcomer parties, which could lead to instability and hinder the continuation of projects important to the city.
Around Prague, based on reporting by novinky.cz
