Social Democrats pick delegates for leadership showdown

Social Democrats are meeting in four Czech regions on Saturday to elect local leaders and delegates to a party congress in March that will select a new party leader. Meetings are taking place in the Moravia and Silesia, Zlín, Plzeň and Ústí regions. The main contenders for the March leadership contest are acting party leader and former finance minister Bohuslav Sobotka and the regional head of south Moravia, Michal Hašek. Former interior minister Martin Pecina announced on Saturday he would not stand in the leadership contest and gave his backing to Michal Hašek.

Former party leader and prime minister Jiří Paroubek stepped down after elections to the lower house of parliament at the end of May when results fell well short of expectations and the party was not able to take the lead in forming a coalition.

Author: Chris Johnstone