Prague, July 11 (CTK) – Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (Social Democrats, CSSD) will seek re-election as CSSD chairman next year in order to be able to lead the party to the general election in autumn 2017, he told journalists after talks with the Union of Towns and Villages on Monday.
In an interview for Monday’s issue of daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) he made his candidacy conditional on “adequate” voter support in the autumn regional and Senate elections.
At the press conference on Monday, he said the general election is the key one.
“The regional and Senate elections are important for us, but we will face the key battle next year. I want Social Democracy to win the election to the Chamber of Deputies next year, too,” Sobotka told journalists.
He said the current coalition government is successful and stable and that the CSSD is capable of fulfilling its manifesto within it.
The government coalition is also comprised of the ANO movement and the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL).
In the interview with HN, Sobotka said his CSSD chairmanship candidacy will depend on voter support.
“If it is sufficient, next spring I will come to the party congress and run for the post of party leader. I will want to lead the Social Democrats to the next general election,” he said.
At the press conference this afternoon, Sobotka did not insist on the condition.
