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Former Army Chief Karel Řehka Runs for Senate in Plzeň with STAN Backing
Karel Řehka, who served as chief of the Czech Army’s General Staff from 2022 until June 2026, announced his candidacy for the Senate seat in the Plzeň‑město constituency. He will stand as an independent candidate supported by the STAN movement, which approved his nomination through its national committee. Řehka is married to STAN MP and Kozolupy mayor Michael Řehková (née Opltová) and has recently joined the supervisory board of the West Bohemian University in Plzeň. The Senate race will see him face candidates such as ODS senator Lumír Aschenbrenner, ANO deputy mayor Lucie Kantorová and KSČM politician Jiří Valenta, among others.
His military background, including leadership during a period of heightened security concerns, is a central theme of his campaign, with supporters emphasizing his experience in decision‑making under pressure and his commitment to defence and public service.
Entities
Czech Senate · Czech Television (Česká televize) · Daniel Herman · Jiří Padevět · Karel Řehka · Michael Řehková (née Opltová) · Plzeň‑město constituency · STAN (Starostové a nezávislí) · Tomáš Řehák
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] His main rival was Daniel Herman, who received 11 votes. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] He said any change to funding should not weaken the independence of public broadcasting. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] He received 38 of 74 votes. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] He fills the seat vacated by writer Jiří Padevět, who resigned in June to run for the Senate. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tomáš Řehák was elected as a member of the Czech Television Board. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Senate selected him in the first round of secret voting. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] He will serve until the end of November 2029. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tomáš Řehák is director of the Prague Municipal Library. www.forum24.cz · www.mediaguru.cz
- [○ 1 SOURCE] He is a member of the supervisory board of the West Bohemian University in Plzeň. www.novinky.cz
- [● 4 SOURCES] His candidacy is backed by the STAN movement, which approved it through its national committee. zpravy.aktualne.cz · www.novinky.cz · plzensky.denik.cz · www.echo24.cz
- [● 4 SOURCES] Karel Řehka announced his candidacy for the Senate seat in the Plzeň‑město constituency. zpravy.aktualne.cz · www.novinky.cz · plzensky.denik.cz · www.echo24.cz
- [● 2 SOURCES] Řehka served as chief of the Czech Army's General Staff from 2022 until June 2026. www.novinky.cz · plzensky.denik.cz