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Vojtech Filip re-elected Czech Communist leader ... meet the necessary criteria. The total number of candidates is the same as in the previous elections two years ago. In the forthcoming polls, voters will mainly decide whether the senior ruling Civic Democrats (ODS) will keep or strengthen their majority in the upper house. The senior opposition Social Democrats (CSSD), the front-runner in party popularity polls in recent months, want to weaken the position of its arch-rival, the ODS. The Senate polls will offer election battles between a number of nationwide known personalities, regional politicians, physicians and university teachers. The ODS, the CSSD and the junior opposition Communists (KSCM) have fielded their candidates in all 27 constituencies involved. The junior ruling Greens (SZ) have fielded candidates in 19 constituencies and the junior ruling Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) in 16 constituencies. Out of the 27 senators whose mandate expires in the autumn, 20 will seek re-election. Apart from the main parties, there is a number of minor groupings that will field their candidates in selected constituencies. Like in every elections, the biggest choice will be faced by the voters in Prague.
In the three Prague constituencies where the polls will be held, voters will choose from among over 30 candidates. The largest number of candidates, 12, run in the Prague 5 constituency. At present the ODS has 41 seats in the Senate, nine of which will be contested. The ODS's candidates include brewer Stanislav Bernard, Liberec regional governor Petr Skokan and Dan Jiranek, the mayor of Kladno, central Bohemia. The CSSD, which has 13 upper house seats and will be defending seven of them, has fielded former Czech Technical University (CVUT) rector Jiri Witzany, east Bohemian Vrchlabi hospital director Vladimir Dryml and former Czechoslovak foreign minister Jiri Dienstbier. Of the three KSCM senators, the mandate of only one expires this year. He will seek re-election. The KDU-CSL has 11 seats and will be defending four. Its candidates include renowned physician Pavel Klener and National Library (NK) director Vlastimil Jezek. The SZ is represented in the upper house by two independent senators whose mandates do not expire this year. The SZ thus cannot emerge weakened from the polls. It has nominated well known pop singer Michael Kocab, former Academy of Sciences chairwoman Helena Illnerova and former deputy ombudsman Anna Sabatova, among others. Each of the two the least numerous groups of senators, the Open Democracy Club (KOD), with 7 members, and the Independents' Association (SNK), with 6 members, will see three of its seats contested. In all cases the relevant senators will seek re-election. Both groups would face existential problems if their number of seats dropped below 5. The first round of the Senate elections will be held on October 17-18, simultaneously with the regional elections.
(Ceske Noviny)
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