Bém: Topolánek should stay on as PM

Prague Mayor Pavel Bém, who has declared he will run to become the next leader of the Civic Democratic Party, said on Friday that Mr Topolánek should stay on as prime minister. He stressed that splitting the roles of prime minister and party leader would not lead to a rift in the party. At the same time, Mr Bém, who is the first deputy leader of the Civic Democrats, laid the blame for recent poor results in regional and Senate elections with the government as a whole. Mirek Topolánek has not yet confirmed whether he will run to retain the party leader post.

Author: Jan Velinger