Dozens of TOP 09 members in South Moravia switch to Jan Grolich's new Peasant faction

Twenty individuals from the South Moravian chapter of TOP 09 publicly announced they are exiting the party to join the newly formed Peasant faction led by Jan Grolich. The announcement, made at a press briefing, emphasized Grolich's dynamism and his initiative within KDU-ČSL as key motivations. The group includes four regional councilors, notably the mayor of Branišov and deputy governor Marek Sovka, who terminated an eleven-year affiliation with TOP 09.

Additional defectors, such as regional councilor Michal Doležel, expressed disappointment in the party's inability to regain the vigor it possessed under founders Karel Schwarzenberg and Miroslav Kalousek. Jan Grolich welcomed the newcomers, noting that the party has attracted 130 new members since the last election, not counting the recent TOP 09 transfers. The shift signals a realignment of local political forces ahead of upcoming regional elections.