Czech Senator Jiří Dienstbier might become Human Rights Minister

Today the chair of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), Bohuslav Sobotka, once again reiterated that a Human Rights Ministry might well be part of his new government. Sobotka first mentioned the possibility over the weekend.

The creation of such a ministry depends, however, on how many ministries total will ultimately be opened, according to Czech Radio. News server iDNES.cz has reported that Czech Senator Jiří Dienstbier (ČSSD) is a hot candidate for the post. 

"That is one of the possible options, ČSSD is definitely not ruling it out, and we are of the opinion that it could even be one of the incoming government’s foundational, important agendas," Sobotka told Czech Radio’s Radiožurnál station. According to news server iDNES.cz, the leaders of the three governing parties have agreed to divide the ministries by a ratio of 7-7-3, but all hopes could be disappointed by a fight over the Agriculture Ministry and lack of interest in the Culture Ministry.

Such a distribution of government seats would mean the ČSSD could establish a Human Rights Ministry and Dienstbier is a hot candidate to lead it. Martin Šimáček, director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion, said he would welcome the establishment of a Human Rights Ministry.  

"The agenda of human rights and/or social inclusion needs to be directly represented in the cabinet. It is always easier when ministers negotiate with someone who is in a similar position to them. In that sense it would help greatly," Šimáček told Czech Radio.   

In an open letter, 40 nonprofit organizations have already called for the incoming governing coalition to establish a Human Rights Ministry. Czech MP Ivan Gabal of the Christian Democrats previously expressed his agreement with such a ministry.

However, the chair of the ANO faction in the lower house, Czech MP Jaroslav Faltýnek, has said he is against a new ministry. The leaders of the governing parties – ANO, the Christian Democrats and the ČSSD – have not yet agreed to the final distribution of posts.

The Christian Democrats are asking for the Agriculture Ministry, but the ANO movement disagrees. The heads of all three parties are scheduled to meet again tomorrow.