Opposition to take Zeman to court over refusal to accept ministerial resignation

Opposition politicians are planning to take President Miloš Zeman to the Constitutional Court over his refusal to accept the resignation of a minister, despite being requested to dismiss him so by Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The head of the Mayors and Independents party, Vít Rakušan, said it was the last instrument at their disposal to curb the head of state’s arbitrary behaviour, iDnes.cz reported.

Mr. Rakušan said when the prime minister was weak the whole country was the loser, warning that the country was headed for a quasi-presidential system.

Miroslav Kalousek of TOP 09 said his party would back the petition to the Constitutional Court.

The Civic Democrats have called for a return to the previous system under which the president was elected by Parliament not the public. However, the Mayors and Independents say the Constitution should not be amended just because of one bad experience.

President Zeman has refused to accept the resignation of the minister of culture, Antonín Staněk.

A group of senators is also planning to launch a complaint against Mr. Zeman at the Constitutional Court. They say they will decide on its final form after he meets Mr. Babiš, Mr. Hamáček and Mr. Staněk later this week.

Author: Ian Willoughby