Update: 10.06.2023 20:56
Presented by: 10.06.2023, 15:00
Plzeň – Today, Congress representatives re-elected the mayor of Nové Město na Moravá, Michal Šmarda, as the leader of Social Democracy. In a secret election, he defeated Vice-President Břetislav Stefan, who is the mayor of the Brno-Licens district, and former Party Vice-President Lubomír Zaorálk, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Culture. The party leadership announced this at a conference held in Pilsen.
Shamarda received 97 or approximately 56 percent of the votes. 58 delegates voted for Zaorálek, a representation of more than 32 percent. Stephen received 20 votes, about 11 percent. A total of 179 delegates cast 176 valid votes and one did not vote for any candidate. Šmarda will lead the Social Democrats even in the next parliamentary elections, which are due in autumn 2025.
Thanking the delegates after the election, Shamarda said that social democracy has a great history and has an even brighter future. “Social democracy already knows very well what mistakes it should not repeat. Social democracy must never lose the trust of the Czech people,” Šmarta emphasized.
At the press conference that followed, he said that today’s name was changed from ČSSD to Social Democracy and the new acronym SOCDEM and the new logo started the phase leading to the return to the House of Representatives. He has prepared his own procedure for reforming public finances. “Social democracy is capable of correcting the threatening deficit that the current government achieves. Within two years of its adoption, we have prepared measures that will allow the Czech Republic to achieve better results in its budget by 200 billion per year. “said Shmarta. These procedures will only be discussed in Congress, according to their leader, the Social Democrats have a preparatory procedure for how to respond to changes in the labor market, how to respond to the onset of artificial intelligence and housing. Development. If the party succeeds in implementing its plan, it will mean building 400,000 new apartments, Šmarda said.
He identified the party’s clear goal of returning to the House of Representatives and gaining influence over the state administration. But according to him, the Social Democrats have learned from previous mistakes and vowed that under his leadership the party will not again sell its program to a few functions. “Social democracy must enter the House of Representatives to end the era of trampling the Czech Republic on the spot. It must enter the chamber to present a realistic plan to end the current far-right’s senseless chaotic policy. The right-wing government and at the same time will not allow nationalists, populists or enemies of democracy to seize power in the Czech Republic.” Shmarta said. Some representatives criticized the current leadership saying that the party and its views are still not being heard more. Šmarda plans to change that too, with more activity on social networks, regular press conferences, and trips to the regions.
In the last election, the party was kicked out of the House of Representatives. Compared to about ten years ago, it also lost significantly in the Senate, having one representative. Smarta said the congressional delegation made it clear that “social democracy is coming back and the Czech Republic has a great chance for a better future.”
Currently, according to polls, the Social Democrats’ preferences are around four percent of the vote. The threshold for entering the lower chamber is one percent higher.
The Czech Social Democratic Party will change its name to Social Democracy
30 years later, the Czech Social Democratic Party would change its name to Social Democracy and the current acronym ČSSD SOCDEM. Today’s party conference in Pilsen concluded with a substantial majority of representative votes. A debate erupted about the name change, and critical voices were heard. The Social Democrats also presented a new visual style at the conference.
To change the name, a vote of at least two-thirds, i.e. at least 119 congressional representatives, is required. The motion was supported by 152 delegates, three opposed and 14 abstained from voting.
When introducing the changes, Social Democracy leader Michal Šmarda said that one of the definitions of insanity is repeating the same mistakes with the same people. “We don’t want to be like that anymore, we don’t want to repeat old mistakes, we want to move forward,” he stressed.
Zdeněk skromach, former vice-chairman of the party, former minister and senator, considered the name change. He mentioned that we won the election. According to him, the members should decide on a different name for the party in a referendum. On the contrary, for example, former ČSSD vice-chairman and minister Jiri Dienstbier called the presented proposals fresh and modern. “It makes perfect sense,” said Diensbier, who was a member of parliament and a senator.
“Congress is sovereign and can vote on anything,” Peter Pavlik said in his debate speech. Shmarta pointed out that the name change from Czechoslovak Social Democracy to Czech Social Democratic Party was decided in Congress three decades ago.
The debate also included concerns about whether the party’s voters would accept the name change well, or whether Social Democracy should focus its debate on program rather than show style.
According to authors from the collaborating institute, the proposals for the new logos preserve the essence of social democratic values. According to them, the abstract form should resemble the rose petal, which was used as the ČSSD logo in the past. The color design will then be brick. Social democracy wanted to appeal to the masses with the slogan of humanity instead of selfishness, a variation on the slogan of humanity against selfishness, which led the ČSSD to the elections in 1996 under the leadership of Milos Zeman.
