The upper house of Czech Parliament voted in favour of a proposal for a
constitutional complaint against President Miloš Zeman. The proposal
received 48 votes on Wednesday, while 20 senators voted against and 7
abstained. If the proposal also receives support from the majority of the
lower house, it will reach the constitutional court. However, this is
unlikely, due to the ruling ANO-Social Democrat coalition, supported by the
Communist Party, holding a majority in the Chamber of Deputies. The Freedom
and Direct Democracy Party, which seems likely to support the president as
well, controls a further 19 seats.
The impulse for the draft complaint is the alleged influencing of the
judiciary by President Zeman and his staff. The president’s recent
unwillingness to accept the resignation of Culture Minister Antonín
Staněk has also been added into the complaint.
In mid-June President Zeman dismissed the accusation, saying that it was a
sign of constitutional illiteracy.