Soc Dem chairman steps down as head of ČSSD parliamentary club

Prague, Nov 22 (CTK) - Bohuslav Sobotka, chairman of the Czech opposition Social Democrats (CSSD), will step down as head of the CSSD deputy group, he announced at Tuesday's meeting of the group, Sobotka has told CTK.

He proposed the group's deputy chairman Jeronym Tejc as his successor.

Sobotka said he will hand in his resignation at the start of the next regular session of the Chamber of Deputies, planned for December 6.

Sobotka explained his decision saying he no longer wants to combine the two posts and that he wants to concentrate on support of CSSD candidates in the regional elections to be held in the autumn of 2012.

The CSSD now heads all 13 regions. Only the capital of Prague that has a special status is headed by the senior government Civic Democrats (ODS).

Sobotka said he considered it necessary to combine the two posts after last year's general election when then party head Jiri Paroubek resigned, and with regard for the CSSD congress last spring in which he was fighting for the party chairmanship with Michal Hasek, now the party's first deputy chairman.

Sobotka said it was necessary to unite and consolidate the party.

"These stages have been successfully overcome," Sobotka said.

Paroubek resigned as CSSD chairman after the general election which the party won but did not find any partner to form a coalition with.

Two parties have made changes at the head of their deputy groups in this election term.

The senior government ODS replaced Petr Tluchor with Zbynek Stanjura and Vit Barta replaced Kristyna Koci at the head of the junior government Public Affairs's (VV) group.