President: Social Democrat chair should resign

President Miloš Zeman suggested the leader of the Social Democrats, Bohuslav Sobotka, should resign following the party’s unconvincing win in the Czech general elections last weekend, the president told the weekly Týden. Mr Zeman said that as chairman, Mr Sobotka was responsible for the party’s poorest showing in all post-1989 elections. Mr Zeman reportedly spoke to the publication ahead of Sunday’s meeting of Social Democrat leadership which called on Bohuslav Sobotka to step down as party leader, and excluded him their negotiating team tasked with coalition talks. Mr Sobotka said he had no intention to quit, and warned of the president’s growing influence within the party.

Author: Jan Richter