Members of Social Democratic Party in South Bohemia fail to back Sobotka

Members of the Social Democratic Party in South Bohemia failed to nominate Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka for the post of chairman of the party on Saturday, in Hluboka nad Vltavou. The party leader, who is running for re-election to the post at the party congress in March, received backing in 12 previous regional conferences. South Bohemian party members nominated Social Democrat Jeroným Tejc for the post of first deputy leader. The final regional conference will be in the region of Moravia-Silesia. Bohuslav Sobotka's Social Democrats are part of the current government; the party trails fellow coalition member ANO in the polls and is trying to shore up support ahead of this year's parliamentary elections.