Trade union leader Stredula gives up his presidential candidacy

Stredula, 55, who announced his resignation in the final words of the eight candidates who met in the TV debate, thanked his followers and stressed that he would keep supporting working people's dignity. Nerudova, one of the the three election favourites, did not mange react to his words on TV.

Stredula said he would not like either ex-PM and ANO chairman Andrej Babis or former high military officer Petr Pavel, both connected with the previous Communist regime, to win the presidential contest. Babis was the only candidate to shun today's TV discussion.

"I am convinced that Danuse Nerudova has social empathy," Stredula said.

Nerudova tweeted later that she appreciated Stredula's step and his support. "I can imagine that after an almost one-year campaign, this was not easy. Mr Stredula, I take this as a big commitment and I will do my utmost for your voters to find their representation in me in the presidential election," she wrote.

Velmi si vážím kroku @JStredula a děkuji za něj. Dokážu si představit, že to po téměř roční kampani nebylo nic jednoduchého. Pane Středulo, beru to jako velký závazek a udělám maximum pro to, aby u mě i vaši voliči našli při volbě prezidenta zastoupení. pic.twitter.com/y4G4fBSZRK

— Danuše Nerudová (@danusenerudova) January 8, 2023

However, political scientist Petr Just expressed doubts whether Stredula's resignation would increase support to Nerudova. Just told CTK that though Stredula was personally very critical of Babis, polls showed that Stredula's voters had mainly Babis or possibly other candidates standing up against the government as their alternative to him, while Nerudova was not among them.

"His (Stredula's) resignation can rather bring points to Babis, it may slightly add support to (Freedom and Direct Democracy/SPD MP) Jaroslav Basta or other more critical candidates," Just said.

As for the timing of Stredula's step, the latest polls will probably not reflect his resignation, Just added. The deadline for release of pre-election polls before the first round is Monday.

Out of the nine candidates, Stredula was among those with quite low voter support of a few percent in pre-elections polls.

Stredula announced that he would run for president in early May, 2022. He said on November 8, before submitting his bid, that he would run with support of 11 senators and had collected signatures of over 60,000 citizens. He said on this occasion that he was running for president for people to have a chance to choose a candidate who had no Communist past, who had not collaborated with the previous regime, and also a man with social empathy.

The law on the election of head of state mentions the possibility to give up candidacy as in the case of other elections. It says a candidate for president is able to give up the bid at the latest 24 hours before the vote starts, either in writing or via a data box and must deliver this decision to the Interior Ministry. It cannot be withdrawn.

The ministry will secure the release of information about a candidate's withdrawal from the election in all polling stations and on the presidential election website. If despite that someone casts a ballot of the resigned candidate into the ballot box, such a vote is invalid.

Czech voters will be choosing the new head of state from eight candidates on Friday and Saturday, January 13-14. The expected second round of two finalists will be held two weeks later.