Sobotka sets goal for Social Democrats of taking one-third of vote

The head of the Social Democrats, Bohuslav Sobotka, has set for his party the goal of winning up to one-third of votes in early elections expected this autumn. Mr. Sobotka told news website iDnes that he hoped his party in Prague would clinch 25 percent. The party chairman will himself run in the South Moravia region, where he has won as party leader twice before. Polls have repeatedly shown the Social Democrats would win easily if elections were held today, while the right-of-centre Civic Democrats could face a major drop in numbers. The Civic Democrats’ speaker of the lower house, Miroslava Němcová, meanwhile, has suggested the elections should be delayed by a month, to prevent key legislation from being swept off the table.

Author: Masha Volynsky