ODS Congress – Go on Without Klaus, Bem

The results put simply: The angry president and founding father of the ODS left the party, the critique of the present lead and the ally of Klaus Pavel Bem lost as well, Mirek Topolanek was re-elected the ODS leader, and promised he is going to redeem himself.

The most visible change is the new vice-leader of the party, until now unknown 37-yo David Vodrážka, the Mayor of Prague 13. The Congress continued from Friday to Sunday, with the founder Klaus they grew apart definitely after 10 pm of the last day, when the party decided to support the Lisbon Treaty. That moves some state responsibilities to Brussels, which is something Klaus can’t come to terms with.

If we look at it closely, that wasn’t a battle of ideas, more like victory of reason. Even, when a part of the ODS don’t want Topolanek in the lead, they very well realize to change the leader, which is a prime minister at the same time, and to risk government fall in the moment the CR is going to Organize chairmanship of the EU. Topolanek won with 285/500 votes.