We last spoke with Monika Brzesková, vice chair of KDU-ČSL, member of the Moravian–Silesian Regional Assembly, and mayor of Kravaře, exactly a year ago. At the time, we noted that in a year’s time we might be writing of her as a member of parliament as well. That prediction has come true: in the autumn elections she succeeded on the SPOLU ticket, receiving the third-highest number of preferential votes from all of the coalition's candidates.
What are your first impressions from the Chamber of Deputies, where you also took part in the vote that elected the SPD's Tomio Okamura as its Speaker and one of the highest constitutional officials in the country? How did you feel when you heard the result, with 107 MPs voting for him?
My first impressions from the Chamber of Deputies are mostly positive. Of course, it is a major change for anyone and it takes some time to find your bearings, not only in the building itself but also in how the institution functions. I was very pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere in our KDU-ČSL parliamentary group. I sense positive energy, unity, and a willingness to work together from my colleagues. I believe we will form a strong team that will deliver good work for the people. As for the election of MP Tomio Okamura as Speaker, it was not a surprise, but I certainly cannot say that I'm happy about it. I was personally a bit disappointed that not a single ANO MP voted against him in what was a secret ballot. I think that voting for him was not easy for many of them, but the leadership of the movement clearly demands absolute unity.
KDU-ČSL nominated a very strong counter-candidate, Jan Bartošek. Was there at any point a real chance that he could be elected? In what ways would he have been a better Speaker than Tomio Okamura?
Let’s be honest: the election of Mr. Okamura was more of a formality, and Jan Bartošek’s candidacy was symbolic but very important. We wanted to show that the Czech Republic has value-based and democratic alternatives beyond what SPD represents. Jan Bartošek would have been a better Speaker in every respect: he has experience, authority, perspective, and the ability to build consensus across the political spectrum. But this election was not decided by the qualities of the candidates; it was decided by political agreements. And I am quite certain that Andrej Babiš paid a very high price for Mr. Okamura’s election in order to ensure that he would not be stripped of immunity by the Chamber for criminal prosecution in the Čapí hnízdo case.
Your fellow party member, the prominent Prague Christian-democratic politician Hayato Okamura, took a very strong stand against his brother. Was it a knife in the back of his sibling, or something that deserves recognition?
If anyone truly knows Tomio Okamura, it is his brother Hayato. If he decided to speak out with such an open and emotional statement, he certainly had a serious reason. Hayato is a very decent, sensitive person with firm moral grounding. I have no doubt that he acted in good conscience. And whether someone sees it as a knife in the back or an act of courage is something everyone must judge for themselves.
How did you experience the election campaign? What energized you, and what would you prefer to avoid next time?
The campaign was demanding, but also planned in every detail. Every day my colleagues and I travelled through towns and villages in the Moravian–Silesian Region. A major challenge was the door-to-door campaign, which we Christian Democrats know how to do well. The positive part was meeting people on the streets and having the chance to talk to them. We discussed many important topics and problems that trouble local residents. I am grateful for all the wonderful people I met through the campaign. The symbol of our campaign was a blue Škoda Octavia and excellent coffee prepared by our candidate and friend Jarda. The negative part took place on social media.
Where would you like to apply yourself within the new Chamber? And as a mayor near the Polish border, will you also engage in strengthening relations between the Czech Republic and Poland?
It is certainly a good opportunity. Our town has very good relations with Poland, and cross-border cooperation is developing through the Euroregion Silesia program. Many projects are already underway, and I would be glad to see relations continue developing positively. Kravaře specifically has town-twinning cooperation with the Polish cities of Lubliniec and Woźniki.
You are still the mayor of your home town of Kravaře. Aren't you worried that it will be too much?
Yes, I will remain mayor of Kravaře until the end of my term. Many mayors before me have managed to combine working for their town with a parliamentary seat, and I believe I can do it as well. In fact, I see it as a great advantage, because I can bring experience from everyday municipal practice into the Chamber, and in return draw on that experience for the benefit of my town and the entire region. Being both an MP and a mayor helps me stay in touch with everyday reality, which I consider essential. When someone is only an MP, they can easily end up in a “parliamentary bubble,” get caught up in petty local political battles, and lose touch with ordinary people and their day-to-day concerns. I want to stay grounded and focus on the real problems that people actually have. And as a mayor, I know very well what those problems are.
How does your family feel about your new political role? Do you still have time to cook and do laundry?
I consult with my family on all my decisions – it would not work otherwise. They support me immensely. I suspect the first weeks will be hectic, but hopefully we will get through it. We must! [laughs]
The author is a European editor of Deník
CV BOX
Monika Brzesková (born Žídková, June 11, 1977, in Kravaře) is an MP, the vice-chair of KDU-ČSL, a member of the Moravian-Silesian Regional Assembly, and mayor of Kravaře.
She graduated from the Secondary Pedagogical School in Krnov and later studied Primary Education at Ostrava University.
In 1995, she won the Miss Czech Republic and Miss Europe beauty pageants.
Since 2006, she has been a member of Kravaře’s municipal assembly, and since 2014, its mayor. In the 2020 regional election, she was elected to the Moravian-Silesian Regional Assembly, a post she defended in 2024. She became vice-chair of KDU-ČSL in October 2024.
She and her husband Petr Brzeska have two children, daughter Nikol and son David. Together, they founded and co-own Miss Cosmetic, a company specializing in natural cosmetics.
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