Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Karel Havlíček is one of the most prominent figures in the ANO movement. His speech is clear and consistent. He is well-informed, knows what he’s talking about in live broadcasts, and can express his views clearly and concisely in debates with opponents.
The parliamentary election is slowly but surely approaching, and you’ll be leading the ANO ticket in Prague. What will you offer the capital, and how will you convince Prague voters to support you?
We’re offering Prague competence, diligence, and a drive to get results. I’ve long said that we don’t want to conquer Prague with slogans or emotion, but with real work. People in Prague deserve a professional team that will address housing availability, transport, security, and quality of life. And not ideologically, but practically. I’ve said before that I’ll give it my all in the effort to succeed in Prague. I take this as a personal challenge and I’m going in full force. Our ANO movement has proven it can govern the state, regions, and cities, and I believe we must offer that experience to Prague on a national level as well. We don’t want to promise castles in the air – we want to deliver tangible results and accountability. And I believe that once people in Prague see what we do, they won’t hesitate to give us their support.
MPs Patrik Nacher and Robert Králíček will also be at the top of the ticket. Why these particular colleagues?
Patrik Nacher is one of the hardest-working MPs representing Prague. He knows the city well and understands finance as well as social issues. And he’s someone who knows how to speak the language of Prague residents. Robert Králíček, a security expert and long-time local politician, understands what troubles Prague in terms of safety and transport. Both have proven their ability to work at the legislative level and deliver concrete results. Their presence on the ticket strengthens our ability to implement ANO’s policies in Prague.
What actually happened with the March session on national defense that ANO called, inviting President Petr Pavel, the opposition, and the government – but then didn’t attend?
It was a farce. We called the session so the government could clearly explain to citizens what the situation is and what its plans are. Then, an hour before the session, we were told it would be held in secret – no media, no public. But we wanted a discussion in front of the cameras, transparent, so that people would know where things stand. The government chose silence and evasion instead.
What is ANO’s vision for national defense and increasing its funding?
If we’re in government, I guarantee that national defense will be one of our priorities. People’s safety is not a topic for political squabbling. We’ll continue to modernize the army, but sensibly – no ideological gestures, just a transition from words to action. We support the defense commitments to our allies, but they must align with the economy and not come at the expense of social spending or healthcare. Defense should not be a matter of political marketing, but of well-considered decisions.
It seems the EU is ramping up the pace in arming itself. What’s your view of the so-called coalition of the willing and its activities?
The security of the Czech Republic is a priority, but we have to act within reason. We support our membership in NATO – that’s where our allies are. The “coalition of the willing” sounds a bit rash to me; let’s be willing, yes, but above all let’s strengthen NATO. We’re clear in saying – yes, we must be prepared, but let’s not spread fear. People want peace, not to be told every evening that their children will be sent to war. Politicians should be calming the situation, not escalating it.
You travel around the country with your dog, visiting pubs and talking to “ordinary” people on the street. What do you hear most often in those conversations?
When I travel around the country, whether alone or with my dog, it’s true that I talk to people throughout the regions. On town squares, in pubs, at markets, and in small villages. People tell me openly what’s troubling them – and it’s often not big geopolitical issues, but everyday worries. I hear most about how expensive everything’s gotten – how in the past two years prices of food, energy, and housing have skyrocketed. People are afraid – whether they’ll be able to pay rent, mortgages, or whether they’ll have pensions they can live on. They feel like the government doesn’t understand them, like it lives cordoned off in the Prague Lesser Town and ignores their real problems. They talk a lot about security – not just military, but safety in the streets, drugs, and crime. People want a normal life, where they don’t have to read every day that things are more expensive, harder to access, or that someone’s reaching for their money once again. They want politicians to stop bickering and finally start working for them. And above all, they want to feel that when they leave for work in the morning, they’ll come home in the evening with the sense that the government is on their side. That’s why I say – we need to bring normalcy and humanity back into politics. People have had enough of chaos and arrogance.
And what do you long for personally?
Honestly? I long for the world to return to normal. For us to stop having to deal every day with who’s arguing with whom or who’s attacking whom, and instead to focus on what people's lives are like – what our education system, healthcare, and infrastructure look like. I want this country to stop being driven by fear of war and to start working toward giving people jobs, safe homes, and dignified retirement. Personally, I wish that people would stop paying attention to politicians only when they’ve been lied to or robbed – and instead have reason to respect them because they actually accomplished something.
And on a more personal level?
I enjoy spending time with my family and my dog. I like having a beer in a pub and listening to what’s on people’s minds. I long for politics that’s not about hysteria, but about facts and results. I want to be able to sleep peacefully at night, knowing we’re doing our best for this country and its citizens. And of course, I hope voters will once again place their trust in ANO – because I know we’re capable of running this country more responsibly and effectively.
CV BOX
Karel Havlíček (born August 16, 1969, in České Budějovice) is an MP, deputy speaker of the Chamber, and first vice-chair of the ANO movement.
He graduated in building engineering from the Faculty of Civil Engineering at CTU Prague, earning a Master of Engineering degree. In 1998, he earned his MBA from the PIBS accredited by Manchester Metropolitan University. He finished his PhD in economy and management in 2004 at the Faculty of Business Administration at PUEB, where he also became an associate professor at the Faculty of Finance in 2014.
In 2019, he was appointed minister of industry and trade while also becoming the economic secretary and a year later, the minister of transportation.
He had only joined the ANO movement as a member in 2021; he was elected the first vice-chair in February 2023 while also becoming the prime minister of the shadow cabinet. He was further elected deputy speaker of the Chamber the same month.
Havlíček is married, he has two children. He speaks English, German, and Russian, and partially Spanish, French, and Chinese. He is an avid fan of rock and folk music.
