Nerudová has the most transparent campaign of the candidates. Zima and Středula fared the worst
According to the assessment of the Czech branch of the anti-corruption organization Transparency International, Danuše Nerudová, the former rector of the Mendel University, has the most transparent campaign of the nine presidential candidates. The least transparent is the campaign of former rector of Charles University Tomáš Zima, who practically failed in the evaluation.
Based on ten criteria, the organization marked the candidates’ campaigns as in school. Nerudová got a grade of 2.1. Senator Marek Hilšer and General Petr Pavel finished behind her with a score of 2.7. Andrej Babiš, chairman and member of ANO, finished next in the order with a grade of 2.9. Businessman Karel Diviš and senator Pavel Fischer were equally evaluated with a grade of 3.4.
SPD deputy Jaroslav Bašta (4.2) and trade union leader Josef Středula (4.6) received the worst marks “for almost opaque campaigns”. Zima received a grade of 4.9 from the anti-corruption organization for the transparency of his campaign. Unlike other candidates, according to the organization, for example, they practically do not publish information about well-known events within their campaigns.
“None of the presidential candidates really noticed the issue of campaign transparency. The candidates for the Castle are certainly moving within the law, even if some are still abusing its weak points,” said Ondřej Kopečný, the director of the organization. According to him, few candidates have decided to publish other important information beyond the scope of the current rules, which relate, for example, to the campaign of subcontractors or the planned inclusion of important positions in the Office of the President of the Republic.
Of the favorites, only Pavel and Babiš announced the name of their candidate for presidential chancellor. “The remaining applicants either do not provide any further information, or only refer to the list of advisers and experts. However, it does not indicate who would become an employee of the Office of the President of the Republic, and in what leadership position,” the organization said.
According to the organization, the presidential candidates were the least transparent in making subcontractor chains transparent, as they mostly did not publish any information about suppliers on their websites. another specific lack of campaigns was online opacity. Candidates typically do not distinguish between lists of social media profiles that contribute to their campaign and their own profiles, nor do they disclose information about how political contributions are funded, the organization said.
Among other campaigns, Nerudová reported the organization for the clarity of its election account, the list of members of the election team or the calendar of events within the framework. However, it did not publish, for example, an updated overview of donors or the expected structure of income for the campaign.
Pavel, on the other hand, according to the organization, did not provide the structure of campaign expenses and did not publish a list of profiles on social networks that participate in its campaign. He received an excellent mark only for the clarity of the election account and the list of actions in the campaign.
Babiš, who was the only candidate who did not respond to the organization’s questionnaire, according to which he did not publish the expected total budget or the breakdown of campaign expenses, the list of election team members or the list of supporters on social networks. Only thanks to the declaration that the ANO movement will not accept donations to Babiš’s campaign and informs about the ex-prime minister’s events, the organization of the former prime minister’s office was rewarded with two firsts.
Video: I would take Neruda to the Castle. Babiš’s gloves would go down quickly, said Pavel (January 5, 2023)
Interviews with presidential candidates – Petr Pavel | Video: Linda Bartošová