Social Democrats call on deputies to support labour code

The Social Democratic Party has called on deputies in Parliament to support a government draft bill to the labour code, vetoed earlier this week by President Vaclav Klaus. The bill needs a majority 101 votes in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies to pass in an upcoming vote. Prime Minister Jiri Paroubek reacted to the president's veto by saying his party's MPs were ready to override the decision, but it is clear that he will need to find support elsewhere if the bill is to pass.

The right-of-centre Civic Democrats have already voiced opposition, while Josef Janecek - deputy chairman of Parliament's social policy committee - said that his party, the Christian Democrats, will again vote against the code.

The first time the bill passed it was with support from Social Democrat and Communist MPs.