Schwarzenberg elected Czech TOP 09 leader, Kalousek his deputy

Schwarzenberg, was the only candidate for party leader and he supported by 163 out of the 164 party's delegates, said Pavel Severa, head of the electoral commission.

Kalousek, who is considered the founder of the party and its executive head, won 166 out of 167 votes in the secret election.

It is very probable that the one vote that both Schwarzenberg and Kalousek did not win was their own.

TOP 09 was founded in June after some members of the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) fell out with the new party leadership of Cyril Svoboda.

It presents itself as a pro-European right-wing alternative to the established parliamentary parties.

Schwarzenberg, 71, said before the election that the party's tasks were to tell the truth to the citizens and not to give promised that cannot be fulfilled.

He said patriotism and national pride disappeared from Czech society.

After his election Kalousek promised the delegates his absolute loyalty to Schwarzenberg.

He said the dangers the Czech Republic is facing is not only crime but also its growing debts.

"It is dangerous to be against the citizens' payments and activity in pension and health care systems because this will necessarily lead to lower availability and quality. It is dangerous to underestimate basic research, and energy dependency on Russia is dangerous," Kalousek said.

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz