Based on the results of the regional and Senate elections, the Republican Presidium of the Pirates is resigning its positions in the party leadership. In addition to the chairman, Ivan Bartos, the vice-chairman and MEP Klára Kocmanová, MEP Markéta Gregorová and Krnsko municipal councillor Dominika Poživilová Michailidu are also resigning. Pirate deputy chair Jana Holomčík Leitnerová resigned earlier and will end her term in the leadership on the last day of September. The board was elected in January this year, and the new party leadership will be elected by Pirates members on 9 November 2024.
"I have led the Pirate Party for nearly 15 years and since then we have gone from a group of volunteers to the Czech and European Parliament and the government. Our people have always tried at all levels of politics to do a good job for the people and deliver real improvements. Yet we have repeatedly failed to turn it into a decent election result.
Even though the national preference has repeatedly given the Pirates solid support, the Pirates' series of failures in the last two elections is a big blow to me personally and a message that a new wind is needed in the party's leadership. That is why I have decided to resign as chairman and will not run for the post in the upcoming election.
Pirates have grown from the bottom and we will continue to do well. We do politics for the people, we have a lot of work to do. And it would be irresponsible, perhaps even hypocritical, to run away from it. We will never do that. We believe that we will shake it off and find a way to deliver the results of our work to the people, even though we are not backed by any powerful lobbies or owned by any media houses." said the chairman of the Pirates Ivan Bartos.
"I am sorry that our people in the regions, like Lukáš Wagenknecht in the Senate, will not be able to continue the good work they have been doing. That is why I consider it necessary, as a member of the party leadership, to take personal responsibility for the current situation." said the 1st Vice-Chairwoman of the party Klára Kocmanová.
"After the European elections, this is another failure in a row. What we as a Bureau offered in our nominations in January, we have started, but the party's priorities will necessarily change. It is clean and fair to give fellow party members the opportunity to choose their leadership again in this situation," added the 2nd Vice-Chair of the Pirates Markéta Gregorová.
"In light of the results, I have decided to resign as Pirate Vice-Chair. I was in charge of the elections, I linked my mandate to them and declared that I would quit if I failed. It seems important and right for me personally and for the party to keep my promise and take responsibility," She added Jana Holomčík Leitnerová, 3rd Vice-Chairman of the party.
"I will listen to the demand for my resignation, and until the new board is re-elected, we will continue with the broader party leadership to continue the changes we have been working on. Of course, resigning from the Republican Bureau will not be the end of our work for the party." concluded the 4th Pirate Vice-Chairwoman Dominika Poživilová Michailidu.
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