Vetrny Jenikov, South Moravia, Oct 28 (CTK) – The current Czech Social Democrat leadership will leave at the party’s national congress next April, acting leader Milan Chovanec told journalists on Saturday.
Chovanec said he proposed that the new leader should be elected by all members.
Perhaps non-party members should be also addressed for the candidacy to the post of party leader, he added.
Chovanec said in the current crisis situation, the party needed at its head a man with a strong support from members and a mandate.
This is why he wants to propose the direct election.
According to party rules, the Social Democrat leader is elected for two years by the party’s congress.
Chovanec said next Friday he would propose to the party board that a meeting of the Central Executive Committee should be called for this November.
Chovanec said he was not against the national congress being held sooner.
However, the April date is the most suitable one because thanks to it the direct election will be attended by the highest possible number of people who would also have enough time to tour the regions, unveiling their programme and concepts.
The Social Democrats were routed in the last weekend election when they gained a mere 7.3 percent of elections vote, much less than the 20.5 percent in the previous election to the Chamber of Deputies.
Chovanec admitted that the current leadership had made a mistake in communication and stressed that the new one should improve the communication with the rank-and-file.
He said he could see the future of the CSSD in its opening to new members, trade union members, students and leftist intellectuals.
