The Czech Pirate Party held a leadership election on 9 November 2024. Previous leader Ivan Bartoš resigned in September 2024, along with the rest of the party leadership, following poor results in the regional elections.
Background
The Czech Pirate Party has been led by Ivan Bartoš since 2016. Under his leadership, they became the third largest party in the Czech Republic at the 2017 legislative election, with 22 seats.[2] Bartoš also led the party during the 2021 election, which the party contested as part of the Pirates and Mayors electoral alliance. Due to preferential voting, the Pirates received only four seats of the 37 seats won by the alliance. After the election, a part of the membership called for Bartoš' resignation.[3] The party joined the new government following the election, and later suffered heavy losses in the 2024 European Parliament and regional elections. Bartoš then resigned as leader and announced he would not run in the subsequent leadership election.[4][5] Political scientists including Lukáš Valeš, Petr Fischer, and Thomas Kulidakis mentioned Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavský, MEP Markéta Gregorová and Jana Michailidu as potential candidates. Fischer also mentioned outgoing Plzeň regional governor Rudolf Špoták [cs] as someone who was showing an interest in running.[6]
On 23 September 2024, Lipavský stated that he would not be running due to his duties as foreign minister, as well as not feeling like someone who could unite the party.[7] Gregorová also declined to run, stating that it would not be fair to voters who elected her to the European Parliament.[8] Špoták expressed interest in running but said he did not feel that he had support within the party.[9][10] Josef Soumar, candidate for South Bohemian governor, mentioned Hana Hajnová [cs] as a potential candidate. Hajnová said she was willing to participate in the leadership of the party, but her candidacy depended on who would run for leader.[11] On 23 September 2024, Mikuláš Peksa and Jana Holomčík Leitnerová [cs] said they were considering running.[12]Seznam Zprávy reported on 25 September 2024 that former Senator Lukáš Wagenknecht and MP Olga Richterová had strong support within the party. Neither of them ruled out standing at the time.[13] On 2 October 2024, Wagenknecht announced his candidacy.[14] On 8 October 2024, MPs Olga Richterová, Jakub Michálek and Klára Kocmanová confirmed to MF DNES that they would not be running.[15] On 10 October 2024, Zdeněk Hřib announced his candidacy.[16] On 15 October, David Witosz declared his candidacy.[17] On 23 October 2024, former deputy mayor of Prague 3 Štěpán Štrébl announced his candidacy.[18]
In the first round, where each delegate could vote for as many candidates they wanted to, Hřib won the plurality with 511 votes followed by Wagenknecht with 494 votes.[21] Two candidates advanced from 1st round of voting. In 2nd round Hřib received 454 votes and Wagenknecht 401 votes. Hřib became the new leader.[22]
Reactions
Party expert on addiction issues Jana Michailidu left the party following the election due to different opinion on politics.[22] Former MEP Marcel Kolaja, Zbyněk Miklík and former leader of the Young Pirates Georgia Hejduková left the party too.[23]
