Don't back those who brought down government, Cardinal Vlk tells voters ahead of EP elections

The head of the Roman Catholic church in the Czech Republic, Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, has called on people to not vote for politicians who brought down the last Czech government. By implication he was referring to the country’s two biggest left-wing parties, the Social Democrats and the Communists, and a handful of rebels from the Civic Democrats and the Greens; they supported a no-confidence vote in the government less than half-way through the Czech presidency of the EU, a move which Cardinal Vlk described as irresponsible.

For their part, the Social Democrats said the prelate’s comments were unfortunate, unprecedented in the modern history of the Czech Republic, and incompatible with the mission of the church, arguing that they were linked to a legal dispute over former church property.

Czechs go to the polls on Friday and Saturday in the country’s second elections to the European Parliament. Over 30 parties have put forward candidates for the Czech Republic’s 22 seats.

Author: Ian Willoughby