Prague, Oct 30 (CTK) – The regional executive committee of the Prague branch of the Czech Social Democrats (CSSD) called on the party’s national leadership to resign due to its dismal showing in the election to the Chamber of Deputies on Monday, chairman of the Prague branch Miloslav Ludvik has told CTK.
The CSSD only gained 7.3 percent of the vote and in Prague even less, 5.6 percent, in the October 20-21 election, while in 2013, it won 20.5 percent.
The election was won by food and media mogul Andrej Babis’ ANO with almost 30 percent of the vote.
Social Democrat acting leader Milan Chovanec said at the weekend the party leadership would step down at the national congress in April.
The Prague regional executive committee called on the national leadership to lead the party until the congress that should be held as soon as possible.
“We have asked to resign not only the whole board, but also that of Prague, which relates to me, too,” Ludvik said.
The party board is composed of the party leader, deputy chairpersons and chairpersons of the groups in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, among others.
The committee also agreed with the re-entry of former party leader and prime minister Jiri Paroubek, into the party, Prague Deputy Mayor Petr Dolinek said.
To rejoin the party, he still needs the consent of the CSSD branches in the Prague 5 district and Central Bohemia.
Paroubek left the party in October 2011 and founded the National Socialists-21st Century Left (LEV 21), but it failed in the election.
“In the election campaign, it seemed to me wrong to speak about the former leader. Now the situation is different and it does not make sense to prevent someone who wants to join the party,” Dolinek said.
Since Paroubek left the party and was not expelled, there should not be any problem with his re-entry, he added.
Paroubek, now 65, was the Czech prime minister between 2005 and 2006.
