Bendl says he rejected post in Topolánek’s cabinet

A party rival says he turned down a place in Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek’s cabinet. Petr Bendl told reporters on Thursday that the embattled Civic Democrat chairman had offered him a ministerial position, though he declined to say which it was. For his part, the prime minister said he would deal with such matters after this weekend’s second round of Senate elections. Mr Bendl was one of 12 Civic Democrat regional governors who were voted out of office when the party suffered a whitewash in elections last weekend. He has been openly critical of the party’s leader and has been seen in public with other senior Civic Democrats evidently opposed to Mr Topolánek.

Prime Minister Topolánek is under great pressure following last weekend’s election debacle. His shaky coalition survived a vote of no-confidence on Wednesday, though with a leadership contest coming up in December there has been speculation about his future.