Ivan Bartos, Member of Parliament, Deputy Prime Minister for Digitization, and Regional Development Minister, has secured his re-election as the Junior Government Chairman of the Czech Pirate Party. The victory came in the second round of an online vote held during the national forum in Brno, where Bartos surpassed MEP Marketa Gregorova.

In the first round of the election, Bartos received 569 votes, while Gregorova garnered 455. The second round saw Bartos maintaining his lead with 556 votes, compared to Gregorova’s 300.

Expressing gratitude for the support received, Bartos emphasized that he does not take the trust of the party members for granted. He acknowledged the importance of upcoming elections in the country and articulated the goal for the Czech Republic to be a free, tolerant, democratic, and digitally connected society.

Bartos, 43, previously served as the chairman of the Pirates from 2009 to 2014, with a brief hiatus between June and September 2013. He resumed the role in 2016.

As he looks ahead, Bartos outlined key priorities for the Czech Republic, including affordable housing, support for young people, anti-corruption measures, digitalization, and reducing bureaucratic red tape. He underscored the importance of effective communication within the Pirate Party and expressed optimism about the improvement of the economy and living standards in the Czech Republic in the coming year.

Marketa Gregorova, 30, who participated in today’s election, described it as an illustration of internal party democracy. Despite the outcome, Gregorova pledged to channel the same energy she had invested in running for chairperson into serving the party’s interests. The election reflects the party’s commitment to liberal, pro-European politics, as emphasized by Bartos, signaling a continued focus on the party’s principles and goals.

Article by Prague Forum