Social Democrat leader receives backing over his handling of government crisis

Social Democratic Party leader Jan Hamáček has received full backing from the party’s deputies’ group in the lower house over the manner in which he handled the crisis surrounding the naming of a new culture minister.

Mr. Hamáček said after Friday’s meeting of the group that he was confident he still enjoyed strong backing from the party leadership and there would be no attempts to undermine party unity.

The Social Democrat leader recently came under fire from some regional party members who said he should have been more emphatic in defending the party’s position in talks with the prime minister and president and even made good on his threat to walk out of the coalition government.