According to Hamáček, the situation in his home Central Bohemian regional organization is also unsatisfying, and thus the party is headed for failure in the regional elections as well. For the former minister of the interior, this is probably one of the most fundamental decisions of his political life. He has been a member of the party since 2001. During his career, he alternated the position of head of the youth organization, as well as vice-chairman and chairman of the party itself.
He has been a Member of Parliament since 2006. In 2013-2017, he served as the Chairman of the Lower Chamber of the Czech Parliament. In the government of Andrej Babiš, he served as Minister of the Interior and 1st Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet. According to him, the current party leadership blames him precisely for the decision from that time. He explains his decision to party members in a letter.
“Therefore, I have very long and carefully considered this decision of mine, with which I would like to introduce you. I retired from active politics immediately after losing the parliamentary elections in 2021. I did not renounce responsibility in any way and humbly accepted full responsibility for the outcome of the elections, when the ČSSD barely made it to the Chamber of Deputies. Unlike many of my fellow party members, who, without the slightest inhibitions, then, and not only during the campaign, constantly appeared in public and questioned the course set by the then leadership, I completely withdrew from public life and did not oppose the new leadership in any way. However, I can no longer be blind to what is happening in the new social democracy (SOCDEM), as the current party leadership likes to emphasize, and I have decided to announce in this way that I am leaving this party on June 30, 2024. I thank all the great people and honest social democrats I have met on my journey with social democracy, and I also greatly appreciate the opportunities I have been given in association with social democracy. It is extremely difficult for me to state that I hardly recognize today’s SOCDEM anymore and am unable to identify with it, and therefore it is only and only right to leave,” he wrote.
The current leadership led by Michal Šmarda (SOCDEM) is directing the party towards the position of a modern and progressive party. He also recently sent a letter to the members in which he mentioned that the party should stop relying on old and experienced faces. “I like to start with myself. That’s why I want to invite you to an open online meeting, which this time will not only be for party members, but also for the general public,” invited Šmard to the meeting on Thursday.