Jan Hamáček has been elected new leader of the Social Democratic Party at
the party conference in Hradec Králové on Sunday. Former lower house
speaker Hamáček received 272 out of 527 votes in the second round of the
election. His rival Jiří Zimola, former South Bohemian governor, received
224 votes.
In his speech delivered after the vote, Jan Hamáček said that Social
Democrats should negotiate with the ANO Party on forming a new government.
If the Social Democrats were to participate in the government, the members
would have to decide in a referendum within the party, he added.
In connection with the investigation of the acting PM Andrej Babiš, Mr
Hamáček said it was impossible for people facing criminal charges to take
part in the government.
Seven candidates ran for the top party post, including the acting party
leader Milan Chovanec. The party convention was called after the party
suffered a major defeat in the parliamentary elections in October, picking
up only 7.27 percent of the vote.